The Supernatural OC
by GalahadsGurl
Summary: Ryan's twin sister, Rhiannon, was emotionally traumatized at the age of 10. When the Cohens open their home to the twins, Rhiannon falls in love with Sam Winchester.
1. Twins

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it.

Summary: Ryan Atwood has an emotionally traumatized twin sister . . . and her new boyfriend is Sam Winchester. What is a boy lost within the darkside knwon as Newport Beach to do?

Chapter 1

Ryan Atwood held his sister, Rhiannon's, hand tightly as Trey led the twins down a dark alley. At the sight of an old Camaro, Trey's lips curved into a small smile. "I'm your big brother, Ryan. If I didn't teach you this, who would?"

Ryan looked uncertain and pulled his sister into the comforting circle of his arms. Her blue eyes, so like those of her two brothers, were wide and frightened and Ryan could hear her starting to hyperventilate. "Man, what about Stardust? She's totally freaked out."

Trey reached out and pulled the youngest Atwood away from Ryan, smoothing down an errant lock of platinum hair for which the girl had been nicknamed, feeling the girl settle at the tenderness in his touch. He kissed her head gently and pushed her back into Ryan's arms, before raising the crowbar in his hand. "Stardust's fine. Come on, Ryan. Don't be such a baby."

Rhiannon let out a small scream, her hands flying to cover her ears as Trey used the crowbar to smash in the window. "Get in, kiddies, let's go for a ride."

Rhiannon gripped her brother's arm, before Trey pushed her gently into the backseat. "Get in, Ryan. Don't be such a bitch!"

"Don't swear in front of her," Ryan snapped, just as a cop car drove past the mouth of the alley. He held his breath, seeing the car back up, lights flashing. Running alongside the now moving car, Ryan hopped into the front seat, not having much of a choice otherwise. Rhiannon whimpered as Trey careened through the streets, her hands pressing tightly against her temples.

Finally Trey lost control of the car, sending it spinning into a transformer. Cops all around pulled the two boys from the car, throwing them against the hood and handcuffing their wrists behind their back. Both brothers knew the instant a cop grabbed Rhiannon. The girl screamed, fighting and kicking to get away. Ryan moved toward her, shouting, "Don't touch her!"

The cop holding him cuffed him up the head, causing him to see stars. Trey and Ryan were put into two separate cars, forced to listen as their sister screamed in terror. They drove away and their sister's cries faded away, leaving both feeling as though they'd failed her somehow.

Hours later, Ryan was led into a brightly lit room where a man surrounded by files and dressed in a suit sat waiting for him. He looked up as the cop uncuffed the teen, holding out a hand. "Ryan. Sandy Cohen. I've been assigned your attorney from the PD's office." Ryan only ignored him, taking a seat as Sandy remarked idly, "You could do worse."

Ryan's voice was monotone as he questioned. "Where's my brother?"

"Trey is over 18, with multiple priors, a gun in his pants and an ounce of pot in his pocket. Trey's looking at anywhere from three to five years. But Trey's not my problem."

"And my sister?"

Sandy looked uncomfortable at the question. "They put your sister in a psych ward."

"What!?" Ryan shouted, lunging away from the table. "She's not crazy!"

"She was hysterical. She fought the cops and she spoke muddled gibberish."

"She was upset. You try getting raped at the age of ten by someone who was supposed to protect you and tell me how you react. She doesn't like to be touched. Trey and I promised to protect her," Ryan shouted, watching as Sandy waved away the cops who had come to subdue him

"Why didn't you get her help?"

"Yeah, like we have the money for a therapist." Ryan remarked snidely, sitting back down and crossing his arms petulantly. "She's not crazy. She's the smartest one of the three of us."

Sandy made a small sound in the back of his throat, checking over Ryan's file. "I'll see what I can do about your sister. In the meantime, you're my concern. This is your first time in lock-up. I'm assuming your not planning on coming back. Your grades are not great. Suspended twice for fighting, three times for truancy. But your test scores? Ryan, 98th percentile? Have you considered college?"

Ryan let out a low snort, sounding derisive. "Have you thought about your future at all?"

"Modern medicine is advancing to the point where the average human lifespan will be 100." Sandy stared at the kid in front of him as he recited little known facts that a kid in his position wouldn't have ever known unless they'd looked it up. To say that the attorney was impressed was an understatement.

"I can plea this down to a misdemeanor. Petty fine, six months probation. But know this, stealing a car because your big brother told you to, it's stupid. And then having your emotionally traumatized sister along with you? That's even stupider. I'll talk to the DA's office and get your sister out of the psych ward, and see what I can't find for some counseling for her. But you're a smart kid, Ryan. And you have to have some kind of plan for your future."

Ryan leaned forward. "Where I come from, having a dream don't make you smart. Knowing it won't come true, does."

Half an hour later, Sandy and Ryan stood outside the Juvenile Detention Center. Sandy had pulled a few favors and gotten Rhiannon released. The two siblings would be meeting up there. Pretty soon, Ryan could see his little sister coming toward him. She was hugging herself tightly, her head down to avoid eye contact, Ryan's too-big sweatshirt hanging off her body. "Stardust!" he called, dodging around people to get to her.

The second Ryan touched her, his sister screamed, scrambling backward toward the wall. Ryan went after her, pulling her into his arms and tucking her under his chin, his voice soft and low as he talked to her. "Stardust, it's all right. It's me, Ryan."

Sandy watched as his client talked the younger teenager down from her fit, until she was sobbing into his chest. Ryan held her close, kissing her temple and smoothing her curls. "Come on. Come on, walk with me," he cajoled, leading her back to where Sandy stood. Rhiannon saw the unknown man and started to scramble backwards again, fighting Ryan's embrace, her head shaking a fierce denial. "It's all right . . . he won't touch you, Stardust. I promise. I won't let him."

Rhiannon looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with tears. Ryan kissed her temple, before looking at Sandy. "Mr. Cohen, this is my sister, Rhiannon. We all call her Stardust. Stardust, this is my attorney, Mr. Cohen."

She nodded at the older man, before jumping at the sound of a car careening into the parking lot. "Mom," she murmured, ducking behind Ryan so that he was between her and their mother.

"Damn it, Ryan!" the curling haired blond shouted as she climbed from the car. "What the hell did I do to deserve this family? Huh?" Catching sight of her daughter, she shouted, "And you! Why couldn't they have kept you in a damned psych ward! I wouldn't have to look at your useless face again."

Rhiannon whimpered, her hands gripping Ryan's jacket tighter. Sandy saw that the girl was discomfited, stepping forward to introduce himself to the woman. "Mrs. Atwood, I'm Sandy Cohen, Ryan and Rhiannon's attorney."

"You shoulda left him to rot in there. Just like his father's doing and like his brother will be. And you shoulda left her where they put her. The crazy little bitch!"

Ryan growled, "Don't talk about her like that. If you wouldn't have turned your back on Mike, she wouldn't be like this."

"Mike was a good guy. And he took care of me."

Ryan snorted, keeping his sister behind him. The blond lost her temper, shouting, "Get in. Both of you."

Ryan pushed the seat forward, helping Rhiannon step into the car and strap in. "You okay?" he asked her quietly, getting a frantic nod in return.

Sandy stepped forward as Ryan leaned back out of the car. "I'm gonna give you my card. And my home number. If you need any help, just give me a call, all right?"

Ryan looked at the man confused, before nodding. "Thanks."

"Get in, Ryan! Now!"

"All right!" Ryan shouted back, before taking the business card and climbing into the front seat.

Sandy watched sadly, pondering the two teenagers' fate as the car drove away. At the Atwood home, Rhiannon ran for her room, getting out from under Dawn's boyfriend, AJ's, leering eyes and away from her mother's harsh tone and cruel words. "I can't do this anymore Ryan."

"Mom, I'm sorry."

"I want you out of my house. You and your sister both."

"Where are we supposed to go?"

"I don't care where you go, but I want you out."

Ryan could see his sister standing at the corner of the hallway, her blue eyes focused on him as he and his mother shouted at each other. Finally AJ broke up the fight, "You heard your mother, kid. Get out."

"This isn't your house, man. So why don't you go take care of your own kids instead of mouching off my mom?"

Dimly Ryan heard his sister scream as AJ swung, connecting solidly with Ryan's face. Ryan went down, over before the fight began, as AJ grabbed him by the back of the shirt and by the seat of his pants, throwing the teen down the hallway toward the room he shared with his sister and brother. Rhiannon grabbed his arm, pulling him up and down the hallway. She slammed the door, locking it and putting her back to it. "Ryan, we gotta get out," she said, her eyes lucid and her words clear.

Ryan nodded, grabbing his backpack and shoving his clothes into it. Emptying his sister's backpack, he packed for her too. Handing her the pack, he took her hand and pulled her quickly through the main part of the house. Rhiannon kept her head down, following Ryan at a quick trot. Ryan grabbed his bike, straddling it and letting his sister climb onto the pegs, before kicking off. Stopping in front of a liquor store, Ryan helped his sister down. "I'm gonna call a few people, okay? I'll try to find somewhere for us to stay tonight. Why don't you sit down and read something, okay?"

After twenty different phone calls, Ryan was still no closer to finding somewhere safe for his sister to stay that night. Backing away, his eyes unconsciously trailed to where his sister sat absorbed in a rather dog-eared copy of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. She's the smartest one of the three of us. Rifling through his pockets, he found the wrinkled business card. Dialing one last time, he made the last call he would be able to make.

An hour later, he sat on the divider wall, with Rhiannon sitting between his legs, reading aloud to him. Her attention was completely on her book, while Ryan's drifted to the cars that drove past. Pretty soon, a black Rolls Royce pulled into the parking lot. Sandy's amiable face was creased with a smile as he joked, "I told you, you could do worse."

Rhiannon looked up at Ryan, unsure. Ryan kissed her forehead, murmuring, "It's just until Monday, okay?"

She nodded, letting Ryan hand her into the backseat. Sandy watched fascinated as Ryan crouched outside the car and handed the girl her book. "Keep reading, Stardust. I'm listening."

She nodded again, focusing on the book before her. Ryan stood and helped Sandy fit his bike in the back. "You're good with her," Sandy commented lowly, trying not to alert the teenager that they were discussing her.

Ryan smiled slightly, the first facial expression the lawyer had seen from the teenager. "She's made of stardust and she's my twin sister. I'd protect her from everything that threatened her if I could. I only wish Trey and I could have protected her from Mike. She'd be a lot different, I think."

Sandy smiled, closing the trunk as much as it would close, before moving toward the driver's side. Ryan climbed into the passenger side seat and twisted in his seat to brush at a lock of hair that had fallen into his sister's face. "Stardust? You okay?"

She nodded, turning the page of her book. "I'm okay, Ryan."

"That's my girl," he teased gently.

Her smile was brilliant and blinding, turning the otherwise mousy child into a striking young beauty. Turning to Sandy, Ryan nodded once. "All right. We're ready to go."

Sandy smiled and pulled out of the parking lot. Soon the graffiti-covered streets of Chino faded into glistening oceans and the high-priced homes of Newport Beach. "Nice place," Ryan mused absently, listening to his sister recite Shakespeare aloud to keep calm. Glancing in the rearview mirror, Ryan noticed that her eyes were scrunched together as though the light was hurting her. "Stardust?"

"Headache," was all she said, looking up at Ryan with frightened eyes. Ryan could understand her fear. The two of them had always been driven hardest, and pain was something they learned quickly to live with.

Ryan smiled at her, taking the book gently and snapping it closed. "Mr. Cohen? Do you have any aspirin?"

"Yeah. There's some in my briefcase."

Ryan nodded and shook out two pills, handing them to his sister. "Thanks, Ryan," she whispered.

"You're welcome, Stardust. You know some stuff by heart. Why don't you recite that to me, okay?"

She nodded, starting to recite Machiavelli's The Prince. "Those who desire to win the favor of princes generally endeavor to do so by offering them those things which they themselves prize most, or such as they observe the prince to delight in most."

Sandy's eyes flashed to Ryan. "What is this?"

"The Prince, by Niccolo Machiavelli."

"She knows this by heart?"

"I told you she was smart. English, books and literature keep her grounded and relatively sane. Trey and I bought or stole as many books as we could for her."

Sandy nodded as Ryan glanced around the interior of the car. "This is a nice car. I didn't know your kind of lawyer made money."

"Oh, we don't." Sandy reassured him, before smiling. "But my wife does."

Ryan stared out of the window as Sandy pulled the car up a long driveway to a beautiful white house situated on a high bluff. "Wait here with your sister," Sandy said, hesitating before grabbing for the keys.

Ryan remarked, "It's no fun if the keys are in the car."

A sharp smack from the backseat caused Ryan to slouch forward and grab his head with a cry of, "Ouch! Stardust!"

"Be nice, Ryan," Rhiannon admonished, before returning to her recitation. "Of civil principalities. But let us come now to that other case, when a prominent citizen has become prince of his country, not by treason and violence, but by the favor of his fellow citizens. This may be called a civil-principality; and to attain it required neither great virtue nor extraordinary good fortune, but rather a happy shrewdness."

Sandy smiled at the boy, seeing that his sister had him well in hand, before getting out to contend with his Newpsie wife.

"You brought him home!?! This isn't a stray puppy, Sandy."

Sandy looked very relaxed as he watched his blond and beautiful wife defend her territory. "I know that, Kirsten."

Kirsten muttered absently, "Well, I guess it was only a matter of time before you began to bring home felons."

"Ryan's not a felon."

"Didn't you meet him in jail?"

"Well, yes, technically, but it wasn't for a felony. Well it was, but it won't be when I'm done. He and his sister need a place to stay. It's only until Monday when Child Social Services opens up."

"You're endangering our home. Did you even think of Seth in all this? What if this is all a scam? What if they're only using us to case the house?"

"Ryan's a kid, not a criminal mastermind. And his sister is so scared of anyone but Ryan she doesn't notice anything going on around her besides Ryan and whatever book it is she's reading. When did you become so cynical?"

"When did you get so self-righteous?"

"I've always been self-righteous. You used to think it was charming."

"He sleeps in the pool house."

"And his sister? It'd hardly be appropriate for them to share a room."

"She can have the guest room," Kirsten called over her shoulder as she moved to leave the house.

"Where are you going?" Sandy asked, watching her leave the kitchen.

"To lock up my jewelry in the vault." Sandy stared at her, unable to believe what he'd just heard. At the shock in her husband's eyes, Kirsten relented. "Where do you think I'm going? The two of them are going to need sheets and towels and toothbrushes."

Sandy smiled at her, before she turned her back and walked away. "You are the love of my life."

"I'd better be!" she sing-songed over her shoulder, before disappearing around the corner.

Meanwhile, Rhiannon sat cross-legged outside the car, still reciting aloud, as Ryan moved to the end of the driveway for a cigarette. At the end of the neighboring driveway, a tall and willowy young woman stood alone, apparently waiting for someone. She turned to look at him, her eyebrow cocking curiously. "Who are you?"

"Whoever you want me to be," Ryan remarked, mentally slapping himself in the forehead for such a cliché remark.

She smirked, "Right."

Ryan lit his cigarette, inhaling the smoke deeply, holding it in before exhaling again. Rhiannon cocked her head, standing and moving to stand near her brother. "Ry?"

Ryan turned to look at her, dropping his cigarette and stubbing it out with his toe. "You okay?" he asked concerned, pulling her into his arms and resting his chin against her temple.

Rhiannon nodded, noticing shadows to her left. "Hello."

The girl nodded at the new arrival, taking in everything about her. She was shorter than the boy and the two seemed to have a very close connection. Blond hair and blue eyes were the only things the two seemed to have in common. The girl was mousy, timid and shy, while the boy was gorgeous and not a little dangerous. She was totally not good enough for the god-like visage before her. "Why are you here?"

"I stole a car and crashed it. Actually, our brother did. Our mom threw us out, high on drugs and booze. Mr. Cohen took us in," Ryan explained, seeing his lawyer coming down the driveway.

The girl laughed lightly, asking, "You're their cousins from Boston right?"

Rhiannon shook her head matter-of-factly. "No."

Desperate to repair the potential damage, Sandy spoke up. "Right, they're my niece and nephew from Seattle. Right kids?"

Rhiannon looked up at Ryan confused, getting a small smile and a nod from her brother. The girl smiled at the man. "Hello Mr. Cohen."

"Marissa. We're all looking forward to your charity fashion show tomorrow."

"Really?" she asked, sounding amused by the thought.

Sandy's hand brushed backward through his hair before he shook his head, "No."

A truck drove up then, sitting high on its axles and lifted further by nitrous. Marissa smiled at the two teens. "You should come. You might have fun."

Ryan nodded, watching her climb into the passenger seat and kiss the driver. The driver seemed upset by the sight of them, questioning his girlfriend, "Who're the kids?"

Marissa only laughed as her boyfriend revved the engine and drove away. Sandy looked at the twins, smiling kindly. "Come on inside."

Ryan nodded. Kirsten met them at the door, along with another woman of Hispanic origin. "This is the queen of the manor, my wife, Kirsten."

Kirsten smiled at the two, noticing despite herself the boy's protective stance in front of his sister, as well as the girl's white knuckles as she clutched her brother's jacket. "Welcome to our home. If you need anything, just ask Rosa. Ryan, you're sleeping in the pool house. What's your name, honey?"

Rhiannon looked up at Ryan for confirmation, getting a nod in return. "I'm Rhiannon. Ryan's my brother."

"Well, Rhiannon, your room is down here," Kirsten explained, gesturing down a dark hallway.

Kirsten watched as her knuckles went whiter. Ryan looked at her hesitantly. "Thank you. Thank you very much for your hospitality. Is it okay if I show Rhiannon the pool house, so she knows where I am?"

"That's fine. I'll show you the way," Sandy agreed, leading the way out back toward the backyard. Rhiannon's eyes grew wide as Sandy showed her the large white building out back. "That's the pool house. That's where your brother will be sleeping this whole weekend," he explained to Rhiannon.

Ryan looked down at his sister, before dropping his backpack outside the pool house door. "Come on. I'll tuck you in, okay? Just so I don't get lost in this place when I come to find you." Even as he said it, both twins knew that it wouldn't be Ryan going to look for Rhiannon.

Rosa stepped forward, reaching out to the girl. "Come on, mariposa, this way."

Rhiannon let the woman wrap an arm around her shoulders, leading her back into the house and into the guest room. It was homey and nicely furnished, the bed made with clean linens and the blinds drawn for privacy. "You like it, mariposa?" Rosa asked in gentle Spanish.

Rhiannon nodded, looking back at Ryan. "Can I change?"

"Sure. I'll be right outside. Call me when you're done."

Rhiannon nodded, slipping into the room. Ryan leaned back against the wall, meeting Kirsten's eyes. "I know you don't want me here. But thank you for letting my sister stay here. She's fragile, and I didn't know where else to go."

Kirsten couldn't help but sympathize with the boy in front of her. His sister had probably been the way she was since before he could remember. No one but her family had probably ever seen her like this before. And to have strangers seeing how quiet and awkward she was was probably very embarrassing for him. "Your sister seems like a nice girl."

Ryan nodded eager to make her see how great his sister was. "She's really smart. And Trey and I did the best we could. But she'll always be like this, unless she finds somewhere she feels safe. And I doubt she'll ever find that in Chino."

Kirsten nodded, clasping her hands in front of her before the door opened and Rhiannon appeared there, dressed from head to toe in baggy clothing. Ryan pushed away from the wall and followed her into the room. He reached around her, tugging the sheets down for her to climb between. "In you go," he murmured, smoothing a hand down her curls.

She climbed in, huddling into a ball as Ryan pulled the blankets up and over her tiny body. "I'm right outside, all right? If you need me, you know where to find me."

She nodded, ducking her head for his kiss. He closed his eyes, one hand coming up to rest gently on her head. "Sleep well, all right?"

Rhiannon hummed an answer, before Ryan stood and moved to the door, turning off the lamp by the bed. Though she wasn't close enough to hear the first part of their conversation, Kirsten could hear this part of their talk. "Ryan?" came the question through the gloom.

Ryan turned back at the door, his ears tracking the sounds of his sister's movements. "Yeah, Stardust?"

"Is this home now?"

Ryan shook his head, smiling sadly. "There's no such thing as home for us, Stardust, you know that. This is just another temporary stop."

"Oh," she whispered, before the covers shifted as she turned onto her side. "I love you."

"I love you too. Get some sleep."

Ryan reached out and closed the door, waiting until he could hear her get out of bed to lock it and climb back into bed. Ryan turned to face Kirsten. "I'll get out of your way. Thank you again. I appreciate it more than you know."

Kirsten nodded, watching him leave the house and enter the pool house, dropping the blinds for some privacy. Kirsten moved into her bedroom, watching her husband settle for bed. "What's going to happen to them?"

"They'll go back to their mother. Or, they'll get shuffled into the foster care system. If that happens, it's doubtful they'll be kept together. And there's not a single foster home, or social worker, that won't insist she be locked up and medicated for her own safety. She's too skittish. And Ryan won't let it happen. They'll run first. I don't know what'll happen to them."

Kirsten nodded, moving into the closet and changing for bed. Climbing into bed with her husband, she rested her head on his chest, thinking about the two teenagers she'd taken in for the night.

It was sometime around midnight when Ryan heard the door of the pool house creak open. Going up onto his elbows, he strained to see his visitor in the dim moonlight. "Ryan?" came his sister's voice.

Ryan sat up, holding up the covers for her to slip under. "Come on, Stardust."

Rhiannon scampered across the carpet and climbed under the covers, snuggling close to her brother. "Ryan, are we gonna run again?"

"I don't know," he confessed, his hand combing through her long blond locks. "We'll see what happens, okay?"

Rhiannon nodded and closed her eyes, falling asleep next to him. Ryan laid down, holding her lithe body close to him. Muttering a tiny prayer his best friend, Theresa, had taught him, Ryan fell asleep. It was eight o'clock the next morning when Ryan woke to see a tall, dark and gangly looking boy his own age peering at the sleeping forms of the twins. "So, you're the felon my dad brought home? That's so cool!"

The second he sat down, his hand unconsciously resting on the blanket covered form of Rhiannon's calf, Rhiannon started whimpering. Ryan glared at the kid, "Get up. Don't touch her."

"Dude, I'm not touching her! Come on. There are blankets between us."

"Please. Just get up and move your hand," Ryan said, noticing that Rhiannon was getting really close to waking up and starting to scream.

The other boy shrugged, getting up and moving a few steps back. Too late. Rhiannon sprang up in bed, her eyes wide as she stared at the unknown man in the room. Ryan lunged for her seconds after she scrambled from the bed, screaming in terror. "Stardust! Please, calm down. It's okay. I'm here, he won't touch you. I promise. Please calm down," Ryan begged, his hands coming up to cup her cheeks.

Rhiannon continued to scream, unaware of her brother's presence in the room. "Don't hurt him. Please. I'll do anything, just don't hurt him," she sobbed, just as Kirsten, Rosa and Sandy rushed into the pool house at the sound of her screams.

No matter how many times Ryan heard his sister beg Mike not to hurt him in her delirium, it broke his heart every time. The man had broken Rhiannon, by threatening Ryan himself. And Ryan would never forgive himself for being the lure that killed his sister. "Rhiannon, it's me. It's Ryan. You're safe here. Please, look at me."

Rhiannon's eyes focused and she startled to see her brother. "I had another nightmare," she told him, her eyes still slightly dazed.

Ryan forced a smile, nodding. "I know. It's okay. You okay? You wanna take a shower or something?"

"Can I?"

Rosa smiled at the girl, pointing at a door up the stairs near the back of the pool house. "The bathroom's right there, honeychile."

Rhiannon nodded, getting to her feet shakily and dashing toward the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. Ryan's hands were trembling as he braced himself to stand. Turning, he looked shamefaced at Kirsten and Sandy. "I'm sorry. This happens sometimes; I should have warned you."

Kirsten shook her head, smiling compassionately. "It's all right. It's not your fault. Maybe, we could find her a therapist. Find someone for her to talk to." When Ryan shrugged, Kirsten added, "And maybe one for you too."

Ryan looked up at her shocked. "What?"

"You were just as traumatized by what happened to your sister, as she was. You just hide it better. You're suffering from repercussions of your own, while your sister is suffering from mental and emotional problems. The difference is you've compartmentalized it, while your sister allows her fears full rein. If a man she doesn't know or trust gets too close, she freaks out. You shut down and don't let anyone get too close. You need to talk about it with someone who can help you."

"I can't ask that of you."

"You didn't ask. I offered. I'll make an appointment at the therapist's for you and your sister, all right?" Kirsten asked, smiling kindly at him. Though she hadn't been thrilled with her husband when he'd brought them home, she could see that Ryan was a good kid. And he was his sister's complete devotee. He could grow on her.

Ryan nodded once, looking dazed and confused. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Why don't you get dressed and maybe Seth, the bumbling idiot who scared your sister this morning, can show the two of you around Newport? All right?"

"Thanks."

"Not a problem. Get dressed. There's breakfast in the kitchen when you're ready for it. Seth, go."

Seth grumbled, leading his mother and father out of the pool house. Sandy grabbed her arm once they were out of Ryan's sight, questioning in a low undertone, "What was that all about?"

"I can't allow them to be separated. And all she needs is help. They're welcome to stay for as long they'd like."

Sandy smiled at her, kissing her cheek gently. "You're a hell of a woman."

Kirsten laughed lightly, kissing him sweetly. "That's why you married me." Walking toward the door, she rounded back a second later, "That doesn't mean I trust him yet."

"I know. Still, thank you for giving them a chance."

Kirsten smiled, nodding, before questioning, "What's a mother for?"

Sandy smiled at her, kissing her long and sweetly. Inside the pool house, Ryan was watching the bathroom door with something close to dread. Turning, he stepped outside. His breath caught as he saw the money laid out before him. The pool was sparkling and clean though nowhere as enticing as the ocean out back. It beckoned to him. Tiny arms crept around his waist and he turned his head to look back at his sister. Her hair was wet and hanging in loose clumps, her blue eyes clear and lucid. "I totally screwed up, didn't I?"

Ryan shook his head, pulling her around and into his arms. "No. It's okay. We've got a place to stay for awhile longer."

She nodded, turning to look at the main house. "Are we going inside? I'm hungry."

Ryan nodded, taking her hand and the two siblings walked inside. Seth Cohen was sitting in front of a giant TV, playing video games. He looked over and the three teens stared at each other awkwardly. Seth finally spoke. "Grand Theft Auto?"

Ryan glanced at Rhiannon, seeing her small smile, before shrugging. "Sure."

Rhiannon spoke up softly. "Where's your kitchen?"

"Just through that walkway. You can still see Ryan. Anything you want is fair game."

Rhiannon nodded, kissing her brother's cheek before skipping toward the kitchen. It was nice to have a home . . . even if it was only for a little while.


	2. Sam

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it.

Chapter 2

The rest of the summer was pretty uneventful. Ryan and Seth had been dragged into participating at Cotillion; an event at which Rhiannon was grateful to have been able to only sit back and observe. Ryan had punched Holly's dad and Marissa's dad was a thief and Rhiannon met Taylor Townsend, a bright and bubbly girl who was the first person in Newport to make Rhiannon smile besides Seth. The two girls, though vastly different, had become instant friends. Taylor was already planning her coming out ball, for when Rhiannon felt stable enough to have a guy to touch her without major panicking into era.

Though she still had panic attacks when crowded or left alone in the company of a man she didn't know, she was able to pull herself out of them on her own. The therapy seemed to be helping, as did the warm support from Taylor, and the easy affection Kirsten doled out to her foster daughter. Kirsten had been heard to tell her husband more than once that she'd always wanted a daughter.

A couple weeks before school started, Ryan and Seth had disappeared to Comic-Con with Marissa Cooper and Summer Roberts, leaving a much more stable Rhiannon in the care of her adored and adoring foster parents. While they were gone, Taylor and Rhiannon went out with Kirsten, shopping for their upcoming term at Harbor High, the private school the two Atwood children would be attending with Seth. It surprised Kirsten sometimes how easily Rhiannon could keep up with Taylor's incessant chattering, but the two were definitely two peas in a pod. In a lot of ways, their relationship reminded her of the relationship Ryan and Seth had. They were almost ready to call it a night when the girl called Stardust tripped into a boy.

Tall with dark hair and a leanly muscled physique, the teen was at least 16 and possessed of compassionate green-hazel eyes that sparkled as he reached out to steady her. His hands were large and warm but firm on her waist, the calluses across the heels sending a delicious frisson through her body. "Easy there," he soothed, his voice smooth and calming like smoke and honey. "You all right?"

Kirsten, poised to jump in if Rhiannon panicked, watched as her foster daughter beamed brightly at the boy. "I'm fine. Thank you for your help. I apologize for tripping over you."

"By all means, trip over me any time you like," the boy chuckled, his cheeks going rosy along with hers. Using one hand to adjust his backpack on his shoulder, he held out the other in an awkward offer to shake hands. "I'm Sam . . . Sam Winchester."

"Hi, Sam. I'm Rhiannon, but most people call me Stardust. This is my mom, Kirsten Cohen and my best friend in the whole world, Taylor Townsend."

Sam and Taylor smiled at each other in acknowledgement before Sam turned to Kirsten. "Pleased to meet you, ma'am," he greeted, a charming smile curving his generous mouth.

Kirsten smiled at him reassured by the strong, firm grip and the sure, confident way he met her eyes. "You too. Are you here alone?"

"For the moment. I'm hiding from my older brother Dean."

"At a mall?" Taylor asked incredulously, causing Rhiannon to giggle lightly.

"Trust me this will actually be the last place he thinks to look. He'll check out all the libraries first; it's my usual hiding place. I have another 10 minutes at least, maybe twenty if I can manage to evade him once he gets here."

Rhiannon nodded, smiling as though she understood the need to get away from older brothers every once in awhile. "My twin brother always checks the library too. It's my favorite place to go, when I just want to get away. I've never thought about hiding from him at the mall, though."

Sam grinned in total understanding, eyes laughing as he nodded. "The mall is annoyingly loud and disruptive. I prefer the library. It's just so peaceful there . . . quiet and isolated."

"I completely agree."

"My brother thinks I'm a total geek," Sam muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Mine too! I have three brothers, all older."

Sam grimaced in sympathy. "I'm sorry. I can barely put up with my one . . . I can't imagine having three. Dean's overprotective enough as it is."

"Ryan's not usually so bad; he's my twin. Seth's a self-absorbed comic nerd who talks at about a mile a minute, but most of the time he's pretty cool. As for Trey, he's a jerk but he means well."

"Sounds like Dean."

Kirsten smiled as she watched Rhiannon come out of her shell for the third time since Sandy had brought her and Ryan home with her. "What are you doing tomorrow night, Sam?" Kirsten inquired of the teenager.

Sam shrugged, "Nothing I can't weasel my way out of. Why?"

"How would you like to come over and have dinner with us tomorrow?"

"Really? I'd love to."

"All right then. Ryan and Seth are in San Diego for some comic convention, so it'll just be you, me, Stardust and my husband Sandy."

"Sounds good." His eyes darted up then, tracking someone's movements through the crowd reluctantly. "Speaking of brothers, there's mine. I gotta go, but I'll see you all tomorrow?"

Rhiannon blushed, pulling a pen from her hair and sending her hair down her back to her waist. Sam's fingers flinched forward, smoothing a strand from her eyes gently as her blush deepened. Taking his hand in hers, she turned it palm up and scribbled furiously over his pulse-point. "That's the house number. Call me and I'll give you directions, okay?"

"Okay. Have a good day, Mrs. Cohen . . . Taylor. See ya tomorrow, Sadira."

Rhiannon ducked her head shyly as she replied, "See ya."

The three women watched him slip through the crowd, trying to evade his brother, before Kirsten tossed out idly, "Sadira?"

Taylor spoke up first, "It's Latin."

Rhiannon's voice was quieter but filled with simple pleasure as she clarified, "It means 'girl-child made of stars.'"

Kirsten smiled to see Rhiannon so blissfully happy about a boy, teasing, "I see."

The next morning, Kirsten and Sandy discovered that Ryan and Seth had not gone to Comic-Con and had actually gone to Tijuana, and that Marissa Cooper had purposely overdosed on a handful of illegal pain pills. Rhiannon begged and pleaded to be left behind, causing Kirsten to smile and Sandy to frown furiously. He argued vehemently against leaving Rhiannon behind, but ultimately did not stand a chance against his two favorite women. Taylor promised to stay over with her and ultimately the Cohens were on their way south without her.

So it was that Rhiannon was not trailing behind the Cohens as they rushed into the emergency room of the hospital just north of the border where Marissa had been admitted. Ryan, despite knowing that he was in deep trouble, demanded, "Where's Stardust?"

"At home. She has a date tonight," Sandy grunted, filling the role of overprotective father to a 15 year old girl with practiced ease.

"It's not a date," Kirsten scolded her husband, as she watched her foster son go pale at Sandy's remark. It was a little white lie, but telling the truth would probably cause Ryan premature heart failure. "Your sister made a new friend yesterday at the mall and they're having dinner together tonight."

"Sounds like a date to me," Seth remarked unhelpfully, getting a stony glare from Ryan. "Right; I'll be shutting up now."

Ryan grunted and rounded back to his foster parents, demanding, "Who is it? Can we trust him with her?"

"Sam is a steady-headed young man. Your sister didn't panic for even a second; Taylor and I were standing right there. They bonded over libraries and overprotective older brothers. He called her 'Sadira' and she lit up like a tree at Christmas time."

"Sadira?"

"Apparently it's Latin and it means 'child made of stars.' Really, Ryan, Rhiannon is fine. She has her cell and she knows to call us if she's in trouble." Frowning fiercely, Kirsten plunged forward, railroading the conversation of Rhiannon's "date" underfoot. "Speaking of trouble, you two are up to your necks in it."

Ryan ducked his head, shamefaced, though Seth started off on a rant about Summer and TJ and how they were not to be held responsible for the stupidity that comes from being a teenage boy around girls, especially The Summer. Sandy finally interrupted Seth's monologue after a long moment, remarking, "How about you chew on this for awhile, Sethula? You're both grounded, at least until school starts."

Both teens groaned, but neither protested. Kirsten spoke up next, "How's Marissa?"

"She's good . . . better. They pumped her stomach and she should be fine," Ryan recited in a dead, detached tone.

"At least she's okay," Sandy insisted, catching sight of Jimmy and Julie Cooper, Marissa's parents as they arrived. "Come on, boys. Let's go home."

At the news that her brother would be back that night, Rhiannon arranged to have Sam pick her up before he got home, which Sam was happy to do, seeing as he was just as reluctant to meet her older, overprotective, slightly smothering twin brother. A pair of green-hazel puppy eyes and a long-practiced pout had convinced Dean to let the 16 year old borrow the car. The 1967 Chevy Impala was kept in lovingly tiptop condition, as well as being the proclaimed Lady in Dean's life; it had nearly cost Sam an arm and a kidney just to be able to take her out. Smoothing his sweaty palms down the front of the ratty jeans he wore – the nicest and least holey of the two pairs he owned – he ran a nervous hand back through his shaggy and completely untamable brown locks as he approached the colossal front door.

Rhiannon opened the door at his knock, wearing a teal and black dress of silk and gauze that hugged her torso and fluttered whimsically at her knees. Her naturally platinum hair fell in spiral curls down to her waist, tied back from her face with a wide black ribbon. Black ballet flats with a pair of dainty teal bows at the toes adorned her tiny feet and Sam couldn't NOT stare. She was without a doubt the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen and she practically glowed before him. She really was made of stardust. "Hi Sam," she whispered.

"Hi Sadira. You look amazing!"

"Thanks. Tay helped me pick it out," she said, doing a little twirl on her toes, before she looked him over. "You look really nice too."

Sam blushed self-consciously; even more ashamed of his secondhand, Salvation Army bought button-down and the ratty jeans now than he had been only seconds before. Sensing his discomfort, Rhiannon only called back inside to Taylor, "We'll be back at ten, Tay!"

"Okay!" the bubbly brunette called back, her voice coming from the heart of the house. "I want to hear about everything!"

"You will! Love you!"

"Love you too, Star! Don't worry about the door . . . I'll get it in a minute."

"Thank you!" Turning back to Sam, she noticed his discomfort and accurately attributed it to his slightly ragged clothing. "Did you know . . . this is the first time I can actually remember wearing something that someone else hasn't worn first? It's kinda cool."

"Sadira, your parents are loaded!"

"Kirsten and Sandy are mine and Ryan's foster parents. Ryan and I are from Chino; this whole 'having money' situation is new to us. Ryan feels guilty about it, but I love it. I feel pretty for once."

"You could be wearing a burlap sack and still be pretty," Sam blurted, causing both to flame bright red. Trying to recover, he teased, "You're so short, Pipsqueak."

The five foot nothing girl laughed, her nose crinkling charmingly as her head dropped back to look up the distance between their heights. "That's just cause you're so tall, Gigantor," she fired back, with a blatant roll of her pretty Prussian eyes.

The five foot ten inch teen shrugged nonchalantly, used to being tall, and opened her door for her, handing her gallantly into the front seat. After he was in the driver's seat and they were pulling down the drive, she remarked, "This is a nice car."

"Thanks. It's Dean's. He let me borrow it, though it was almost a near thing. As it is, there are at least a hundred thousand rules that he's insisting on. I mean, we almost had 'no sitting,' 'no breathing' and 'no driving.'"

"That bad, huh?" she giggled.

"Worse. He loves this car more than anything, even me . . . honest."

"So where are you going to be attending school? I'm assuming you don't live around here."

"I got a scholarship to Harbor High my freshmen year. Because it's such a good school, my dad promised that we'd try to stay in town at least until the scholarship runs out."

"You guys move a lot?"

"All the time. I think this is the most time I've spent in one place my whole life, and we've only been here for about nine months total. We left after school let out for the summer and got back a week ago. Dad doesn't do so well with staying put in one place."

"Wow? Really?"

"Yeah. It's weird."

"What is? The staying put? Or your dad?"

"Both? I don't know . . . the only thing I do know for sure, is that I don't fit in with all these rich kids in their designer duds and their fancy houses."

Rhiannon nodded, twisting in her seat in order to face him completely. "You want to know something . . . I don't either. But hey, at least we're in this together. Taylor and I are attending Harbor in the fall, so you'll know people this year."

"What about your brothers?"

"Seth is nothing to fear . . . it'll be Ryan you'll have to impress. Don't worry though; I got ya covered," she laughed, giving him a sly wink as he smiled down at her.

"So, where are we going for dinner?"

"I really hadn't thought far ahead. I knew that if my brother got home before you took me out, I'd end up spending the time we would have used for dinner fighting with my brother so that I could go out with you. I'm pretty cool with anywhere."

"I think I saw this pretty cool Thai place near my house. That sound good to you?"

"I love Thai!" she giggled, her eyes wide with pure happiness as she nodded.

"All right then, let's go," he laughed, turning onto the freeway and heading towards his part of town.

Rhiannon hardly noticed the rundown and shabby-looking area, surprising Sam with the fact that she didn't seem to care that he lived in the neighborhood. Then he remembered what he knew of Chino and figured that maybe his neighborhood was nicer than her old one. They pulled into the restaurant parking lot and Sam jogged around the hood to assist her from the car. "Thank you, kind sir," she teased, accepting his hand and slipping effortlessly from the car.

Looking around at her crowded surroundings, she suddenly felt terribly uncomfortable and dreaded another relapse; she'd been doing so well. The look of wanting that darkened Sam's green-hazel eyes made her feel special, though, and she decided to take the bad with the good and focus on the two of them and not everyone else. Linking her arm in the crook of his elbow, Rhiannon forced away her unease and smiled up at him brightly as Sam led the way inside.

When the Cohens arrived home, it was half-past nine and Ryan was half-past frantic. Rhiannon wasn't answering her cell and Ryan could feel his blood pressure flying through the roof. He crashed through the front door, shouting her name. The only reply he got was Taylor's giggle. The brunette was sitting on the couch, watching a cheesy chick flick and munching on a huge bowl of microwave popcorn. "She's not here," was all she said, tilting her head back to look at the older twin.

"It's 9:30!" Ryan exclaimed, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

"And Mrs. Cohen told her she could stay out until ten. She'll be back . . . just calm down. Besides Sam's really nice . . . he'll take good care of your sister."

"That's what they all say, and then they do something to bring about a relapse," Ryan snapped viciously, taking in an unaffected Taylor's silky robe and the silken pajama pants that peeked from the bottom. "Are you spending the night?"

Taylor just gave him a look that, though polite and quaint, clearly indicated that she thought he was suffering from some form of massive cerebral malfunction. "My mom's at some meeting with a client out of state and my best girlfriend in the whole world – really my only girlfriend in the whole world – is on her first date with a guy that she actually likes. And, as if that isn't cool enough, he likes her too! Of course I'm staying the night! We girls have to gossip, you know. Mrs. Cohen said I could," she insisted, defending her reasoning petulantly as Ryan rolled his eyes at her girlish gushing.

Kirsten came into the room, smiling at the girl. "Rhiannon still out?"

"Sam just called to say that they were on their way home now," Taylor informed the woman. "How's Marissa?"

"She's going to be okay, thank goodness. Excited?"

"I've never had a gal pal before . . . I'll confess to being a little nervous about how to approach the gossipy part of the evening," Taylor admitted sheepishly.

Ryan glanced at her sharply, before seeing her sincerity. "Don't worry about it. Stardust hasn't ever had a female friend before you. She'll be just as nervous . . . until she can't stand to keep it in anymore and she just blurts everything."

Taylor beamed up at the older boy. "Thank you, Ryan; that eases my nerves immensely."

Ryan just shrugged haphazardly, muttering, "Don't mention it."

Just then, there was a roar from the driveway as the returning couple pulled into the drive. "That'd be Sam's Impala," Taylor began, trailing off at the sight of Ryan already halfway to the door.

Kirsten glided flawlessly between him and the door. "No, Ryan, you're going to leave them be."

"I've been worried sick about her!" he whined, not sounding at all like the stoic and reserved kid Kirsten was used to.

"Let them say their goodbyes and Rhiannon'll be inside before you even know it. Just be patient," Kirsten soothed, wrapping one hand around her son's upper arm and steering him gently back into the den.

Sam assisted Rhiannon from the car again, before they walked casually to the front door. Rhiannon was shivering to death under Sam's heavy jacket and Sam was walking alongside with one hand on the small of her back and the other in his pocket. They stopped at the door and Rhiannon smiled up at the other teenager. "I had a wonderful time tonight, Sam."

Sam grinned at her, reaching to brush back a strand of hair that had escaped the ribbon and lay caught and curling in her eyelashes. "Me too. I hope we can do it again sometime."

"Definitely," Rhiannon giggled her smile as bright as her nameless namesakes. Through the glass, she could Ryan's panicked voice as he ranted about what could possibly taking so long for her to come inside and she blushed self-consciously. "Now it would appear _**my**_ brother is interrupting us."

"Something we'll have to get used to, I'm sure."

"Probably," she agreed, before she reached to pull his jacket from her shoulders. Sam shook his head, stilling her hand. "Keep it. I'll get it back from you when school starts."

"Are you sure?" she asked dubiously.

"Absolutely. I will see you when school starts?"

Rhiannon giggled as she nodded, "Taylor and I'll be waiting for you out front, the very first day. Deal?" she teased, holding out her hand to shake.

Clasping hers warmly, he chuckled, "Deal." The two stood there for a long moment, linked by their hands, before Sam used her hand to pull her closer. "I might kiss you."

Those Prussian eyes were wide as they looked up into his, replying in a whisper, "I might be bad at it."

"That's not possible," he promised, lifting one huge hand to cup her cheek. They stood toe-to-toe for a long moment, before Sam hunched over to press a perfect kiss to her lips. Her eyes fluttered closed and she returned it as well as she could, before they stepped apart again. "You should get inside before you're late for curfew," he whispered, his fingers tracing nonsensical designs over the flawless skin of her cheek.

"Yeah, I should. Thank you, Sam; for everything."

Sam grinned, kissing her quickly once more before he replied, "My pleasure, Sadira. I'll call you."

"I'll hold you to that," she laughed, before he stepped back toward his car.

She stood on the stoop, watching him start up the car again and roll back down the driveway. She waved at him once more before he disappeared from view and she turned back to the door. She was starry-eyed as she practically floated into the foyer, shutting the door and falling back against it dreamily. "Where have you been!?" Ryan demanded, rounding on his sister before she'd even managed to bring herself back to reality.

Instead of replying, Rhiannon smiled at her brother and remained silent. She shucked Sam's jacket from her shoulders and hung it up carefully, her fingers toying idly with the sleeve for a beat, before moving deeper into the foyer. Coming up to her brother, she reached out to hug him tightly and press an adoring kiss to his cheek, before she danced again out of reach, waltzing across the hardwood floors. "I love you, Ryan," was her only reply as she waltzed and twirled to the den where she knew Taylor sat waiting for her to give up the details. "Hey Tay," she breathed happily, plopping down onto the couch next to her and dropping her temple onto her shoulder.

Taylor's smile was wide as she teased, "That good, huh?"

"He kissed me," she confessed in a disbelieving whisper. "Me!"

Reaching for the remote, Taylor turned off her movie and pulled her best friend to her feet with her. "Okay, this calls for that tub of ice cream and a pajama party. Move it Star. I told you that I wanted to hear everything!"

Taking up waltz position again, Rhiannon danced into the kitchen, humming a song she remembered from the radio as she glided effortlessly around the room with her eyes closed. Taylor grinned at her best friend's blatant happiness, grabbing the ice cream they had previously procured just for this reason before taking Rhiannon's hand and pulling her along to the blissful girl's bedroom.

Kirsten stood out of sight, watching the two friends giggle as they moved down the hallway, obviously already sharing a secret about Rhiannon's "non-date." Sandy came up behind her, kissing her cheek. "I'm assuming it went well then."

Kirsten turned to face her husband, sliding her arms around his neck with a smile. "I think it went more than well. I think it went fantastic. Our little girl is happy and I refuse to let anything bring an end to it. Even Ryan . . . actually, most especially Ryan."


	3. Harbor High

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it.

Chapter 3

The first day of school rolled around before they'd even been able to breathe. Taylor and Rhiannon rode to school together, talking about what classes they were taking and which classes they had together. Rhiannon and Sam had talked on the phone every night since their date and Taylor loved to watch her best friend go rosy at the mere mention of his name. "You told Sam we'd meet him in the front of the school?" Taylor asked again.

Rhiannon nodded, twisting in her seat so she could watch her best friend. "You have a crush on my brother, don't you?" she asked quietly, her eyes steady.

Taylor's eyes went wide as she whipped her head around to face the other girl. Seeing the knowledge in her eyes, it was she who blushed rosy this time, nodding miserably. "Yeah . . . I like your brother. But Ryan Atwood would never be interested in crazy, little Taylor Townsend with the mother from hell."

"Why not? He likes crazy little Marissa Cooper, who has a mother from hell as well as a steady boyfriend," Rhiannon pointed out. "Don't you worry about a thing, Tay. I have a plan."

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Taylor moaned as they pulled into the Harbor parking lot.

Rhiannon grinned at Taylor, the two linking arms and chatting amiably as they approached the front of the school. A tall boy sat on the front divider wall, engrossed in a heavy tome and obviously waiting for someone. Sam was hunched over, one foot tucked under his body and the heel of the other bumping lightly against the dividing wall below him. The two girls grinned at each other and softened their footsteps, attempting to creep up on him. They were still three steps away when Sam spoke, without even raising his head, "Hi, Sadira . . . Taylor."

Both girls slumped slightly in disappointment. "How'd you do that?" Rhiannon asked, jumping up to sit on the wall beside him, with Taylor leaning against it next to her.

Sam grinned. "It's a long story, and I promise to tell you someday." Snapping the book closed, he leaned over and pressed an adoring kiss to her cheek. "So, are we all ready for school?"

Taylor giggled as Rhiannon blushed at the gesture. "I would love to see what color you'd turn if that was your lips and not your cheek," she teased, watching Sam's cheeks flush with color to match Rhiannon's own. "Just in case you two were curious, you're going to have a hell of a time hiding your feelings for each other if you don't stop turning into radishes every time you touch, kiss or hear each other's name."

Glancing at Rhiannon from the corner of his eye, Sam remarked idly, "Who said I wanted to hide it?"

Rhiannon's eyes were wide as her head whipped around to face him. There was a bemused smile on her lips as she breathed, "Really?"

Sam nodded quietly, eyes directed at the floor as he whispered, "Unless you want to."

Rhiannon's hair flew as she shook her head. "Not a chance, Winchester."

Looking relieved, Sam hopped off the wall and rotated to stand between her knees. "Good," he breathed, seconds before their lips met in a kiss that made Rhiannon's toes curl under in her ballet flats.

Taylor's giggling and the sound of the first bell jarred them back into reality. "All right, Romeo and Juliet, we gotta get to class. What's your first class, Sam?"

"I have first period with Ms Hardy," he recited immediately, without even consulting his schedule.

"Fabulous! So do we," Taylor giggled, watching as Sam put his huge hands around Rhiannon's tiny waist and swung her effortlessly off the wall. "Time's a-wasting!" she chirped, looping her hand in her best friend's elbow.

Sam laughed lowly as he inquired, "Is she always so perky?"

Rhiannon laughed back, slipping her hand into his as she replied, "Worse!"

The three fast friends chuckled together as they entered the school building, relieved to even have friends at all. Arriving at their first class nearly ten minutes before the first bell, Sam and Rhiannon took a table, while Taylor took a seat at the table behind them. Taylor was teasing Sam about his first date with Rhiannon when the bell rang and Ryan Atwood dashed into the room. Rhiannon groaned, letting her head slap onto the desk in front of her. Ryan glared at his twin sister, before taking a seat at a table near the back.

The teacher came in and demanded, "Everyone up against the wall. I have a seating chart and that is the end of it. When I call your name, come and take your seat." Consulting the chart, she called out, "Atwood!"

Ryan spoke up quietly, "Which one?"

The teacher frowned, "I don't take well to sarcasm, Mr Atwood."

Rhiannon sighed and spoke again. "Ryan and I are twins, ma'am. We're not trying to be facetious; we really want to know which one."

The teacher consulted her roll and sighed, "Oh good grief, twins?! Didn't I specifically say I didn't want to be saddled with siblings together in one class?" she muttered under her breath as she scribbled furiously on her seating chart. "I apologize to you both. Rhiannon Atwood is here and Winchester is next to her."

Sam and Rhiannon flashed quick smiles at each other, before they moved to take their seats. The teacher smiled slightly to see their secret glances and spoke again, "Ryan Atwood and Townsend here."

Snickers flew through the room and a low voice sneered, "Terrible Taylor . . . Lady Loser, Queen of the Nerds."

Ryan glanced at her sympathetically as she took her seat. Sam and Rhiannon rotated on their stools and Rhiannon reached out to grab her best friend's hand. "Ignore them, Tay. You're not a loser."

Sam chuckled. "Seriously and what do they know? We all know that Rhiannon is the Queen of the Nerds. They're just dumb jocks . . . they've taken one too many shots to the face."

Taylor giggled at the double entendre in his words as Rhiannon glared playfully at her boyfriend, teasing, "If I'm the Queen of the Nerds that makes you King."

Sam shrugged lightly, "I'm okay with that."

Though she let them comfort their friend, after a moment the teacher barked, "If your name isn't Atwood or Townsend, I don't want to hear your voice."

Her voice was steady as she read through the names on her list, directing them to their seats with military efficiency. When she was done, she marked her roll sheet and hopped up onto the front of her desk. "Hello class. Sit down and shut up. I am not a patient woman or your babysitter, so I will warn you now I do not put up with any bullshit. Goof around in my class and you're well on your way to my black list. Everyone take a look at the person in the seat beside you . . . this person will be your partner for the rest of the semester. If you have major problems with that, come see me after class, but I can already assure you that unless you have a very good reason as to why you can't work with them, my answer will be 'tough luck'."

"First and foremost, you will respect me and you will have respect for your fellow classmates. You do that, and we should have minimal problems. I am Dakota Hardy. You will call me Ms Hardy. As you may have noticed, I will not be calling you by your first names either. I will call you either Miss or Mister, supplying you the same respect you are showing me by doing the same. I am not here to be your friend. I am here to teach you the ins and outs of the wonderful language that you speak but no doubt hideously abuse. This is an English class, so there will be a lot of writing and a whole lot more reading than there will be writing." Grabbing up a stack of papers from her desk she starting handing them out to her somewhat bewildered students. "This is also an accelerated course, so I will be pretending that you all know what I'm talking about. If you don't, ask your partner. If they don't know, find someone who does. Every class period, we'll read an article in class. I expect you to have a notebook for this class that will be your journal. After we go over the article, I'll usually give you five to ten minutes to write your thoughts down in your journals. After which we will discuss the article and more than likely engage in a debate of some kind as well. I will warn you, I love to play devil's advocate, so I may not always agree with the opinions I'm putting out there, but I'm trying to make you think."

Passing the single sheet around, she continued on undisturbed. "There will be a one page written essay due everyday, two presentations with your partner, at least five 6 page essays due during the course of the semester and there will be a 10 page term paper due on the last day of class. If I was you, I would get started on that term paper now. I am available to discuss any topics you would like to cover that I don't mention first; otherwise, the list of approved topics is on the page I'm handing out now. I do not accept late work, and I do not accept laziness. If I catch you dozing off in my class, I will kick your butt out into the hall, mark you absent for the day and you will loose that day's participation points. If any cell phones go off in my class, I will confiscate them until such time as I find it prudent to return them to you. If I don't hear your voice at least once in the course of a class discussion, you will lose the participation points for the discussion. I do not mess around and I do not make exceptions for people. You're smart enough to have made it into the class . . . that means you're smart enough to do the work." Glancing around the room, she made eye contact with her students, before questioning, "Any questions?"

The lack of reply was not encouraging, but instead of dwelling on it, she continued. "I move fast, so make sure to keep up. Today's article is also my personal motto and will be the guideline our discussions follow . . . sort of. The author is a columnist named Leonard Pitts and the article is called 'You Also Have the Right to Tell a Bigot What You Think.' (AN: Please see the end of the chapter for the works cited for this article. It is a good read, so please don't skip over it. It's important to the plot line.)"

Hopping up onto her desk again, she lifted the sheet and began to read in a clear and steady voice.

"For the record, I have no idea who let the dogs out. I didn't even know the gate was open.

"We Americans get hooked on saying some pretty silly things, you know? 'Where's the beef?' 'Make my day.'

"Generally it is pretty harmless stuff. Granted, after the fifteenth time someone avows that he feels your pain, you probably are ready to inflict some of your own. But overall, yeah – pretty harmless.

"There is, however, one expression that never fails to make me nuts. Truth be told, it is less a catchphrase than a cop-out, a meaningless thing people say – usually when accusations of racism, sexism, anti-Semitism or homophobia have been leveled and they are being asked to defend the indefensible.

"'Entitled to my opinion,' they say. Or 'entitled to his opinion,' as the case may be. The sense of it is the same even when the words vary: People clamber atop the First Amendment and remind us that it allows them or someone they decline to criticize to say or believe whatever they wish.

"It happened again just the other day, on the eve of the Grammys. One of the entertainment news programs did an informal poll of musicians, asking them to comment on the rapper Eminem's violently homophobic and misogynistic music. You would have sworn they all were reading from the same script: 'He is entitled to say what he feels,' they said.

"In that, they echoed the folks who thought John Rocker was unfairly maligned for his bigotry: 'He is entitled to his opinion,' the ballplayer's defenders told us. And that, in turn, was an echo of what happened in 1993 when a reporter asked a student at City University of New York about Dr Leonard Jeffries' claim of a Jewish conspiracy against black people. 'He had a right to say whatever he chooses to say,' the student replied.

"As I said, it makes me crazy – not because the observation isn't correct, but because it is beside the point.

"Anybody who is a more ardent supporter of the First Amendment than I probably ought to be on medication. I believe the liberties it grants are meaningless unless extended as far as possible into the ideological hinterlands. Only in this way can you preserve and defend those liberties for the rest of us. So, as far as I am concerned, every sexist, homophobe, communist, flag burner, Jew baiter, Arab hater and racist must be protected in the peaceful expression of his or her beliefs.

"But after acknowledging the right of the hateful to be hateful and the vile to be vile, it seems to me that the least I can do is use my own right of free speech to call those people what they are. It seems to me, in fact, that I have a moral obligation to do so. But many people embrace moral cowardice instead and blame it on the First Amendment.

"It is a specious claim. The First Amendment is violated when the government seeks to censor expression. That didn't happen to Eminem. That didn't happen to John Rocker, either. What did happen was that the media and private citizens criticized them and demanded that some price – public condemnation or professional demotion – be extracted as a penalty for the stupid things they said.

"Friends and neighbors, that isn't a violation of free speech. That is free speech. And if some folks confuse the issue, well, that is because too many of us believe freedom of speech means freedom from censure, the unfettered right to say whatever you please without anyone being allowed to complain. Worse, many of us accept that stricture for fear of seeming 'judgmental.' These days, of course, 'judgmental' is a four letter word.

"I make no argument for the closed-minded. People ought to open themselves to the widest possible variety of ideas and expressions. But that doesn't mean losing your ability to discern or abdicating your responsibility to question, criticize . . . think. All ideas aren't created equal. To pretend otherwise is to create a rush from judgment – to free a bigot from taking responsibility for his beliefs and allow him a façade of moral validity to hide behind.

"So I could happily live the rest of my life without being reminded that this fool or that has the right to say what he thinks. Sure, he does. But you know what? We all do."

There was universal silence across the board as she twisted slightly and set the article on her desktop. She let the silence reign for a moment later, before speaking quietly, "I want you all to think about this for a minute or two. Find a spare sheet of paper and I'll give you maybe ten minutes to write down your thoughts. Then we'll discuss."

Turning to her desk, she bent and pulled a thick binder from the briefcase at her feet. Flipping it over, she selected a red pen from the cup on her desk and started to scribble notes all over the lesson plans. Beside Ryan, Taylor was alternating between chewing on her eraser and scribbling down her slapdash thoughts into some semblance of order on the page. Glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, he couldn't help a tiny smile at the sight of her muttering to herself as she wrote. In front of him, Sam and Rhiannon were equally intent on their thoughts as they scribbled their thoughts onto the page. Turning back to his own notebook, he grabbed onto the first thing that came to mind and then began to write.

When Ms Hardy called time, Ryan was surprised. It didn't seem like he'd had nearly enough time to fully explore his opinions. Slipping the binder back into the briefcase, she moved to the front of her desk and perched on the edge again. "All right then, is someone willing to share? Or do I have to call on someone? Be fair warned, everything written in this class is public property, so don't write about anything that you wouldn't be willing to share with your peers. Anyone?" There was a long pause, before she sighed heavily and pointed casually, "Mr Donovan, what did you think about this essay? Do you think Mr Pitts had any basis for his statement? If you don't want to read what you wrote, you can summarize."

Isaiah Donovan, a young man with plaintive brown eyes and an unkempt shock of black hair, spoke up shakily from his place at the back of the room. "I don't think he had any right to say what he did. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion."

Upset that his classmate had missed the whole point of the article, Ryan forgot to raise his hand and burst out. "He didn't say they weren't! He specifically said that everyone, regardless of how wrong and hateful they are, has the right to say how they feel about something. That wasn't the point!"

Rhiannon picked up where Ryan left off, her voice just as, if not more, incensed than her brother's. "The point was that it's our civic right . . . hell, it's our duty! . . . to refute those same arguments if we feel that they are prejudiced! We shouldn't have to let the opinions we believe to be wrong walk all over us." Sam reached out and laid a calming hand over her forearm, causing her to take a deep breath and sag slightly as she calmed.

Smiling at the outburst, Ms Hardy remarked dryly, "And the Atwood twins become my new favorite students. Thank you, Mr and Miss Atwood, for giving him the exact same reply I was about to. You saved me from having to repeat myself." Looking around, she cast her eyes about for someone else to call on. "Miss Townsend, what's your opinion?"

Taylor's voice was quiet as she whispered, obviously speaking from experience, "I think he had every right to say what he said. How many times have people said something mean and hurtful, and people let them get away with it because it makes them sound better? Even the guilty are entitled to someone who is willing to defend them; why then, shouldn't the innocent be as well?"

Ms Hardy smiled. "Well said, Miss Townsend, thank you. Anyone else?"

Sam spoke up next, and before anyone had even had the time to glance at the clock, the bell was ringing and first period was over. Ms Hardy stood, shouting over the din as students packed up their stuff, "Please read chapter 1 in your books tonight, as well as answer the questions at the end! We'll discuss them tomorrow!"

Sam walked Rhiannon home that afternoon, and every afternoon after that, usually getting a blush as Taylor drove past on her way home and honked at the painfully shy couple. Rhiannon knew that Sam walked at least ten miles to school and another ten miles home everyday, and initially felt guilty that she was adding time onto his already long walk home. Eventually though, she came across the reason he did it . . . she didn't argue about it anymore after that.

Three weeks into the school year, Dean was waiting out front for his little brother after school for the first time Rhiannon could remember, though he wasn't there to take him home. "Heya Geek-boy," the elder Winchester teased, getting a roll of his eyes from the younger as Taylor and Rhiannon joined them. Ryan, Seth and Marissa stood off the side, waiting to see what would happen next and whether or not Rhiannon was going to need a ride home. Glancing at his brother's girlfriend, Dean continued, "Sup Geek-girl?"

Instead of scolding, Rhiannon only smiled at him brightly. "Hello Dean. Can I help you?"

"Just need to tell the boy the plan."

Sam's eyebrows furrowed as he watched his brother. "What plan? We're not moving again, are we?"

"No, Dad promised you we wouldn't move, as long as your scholarship to the Harbor held out. So be brilliant – which as I recall is not hard for you – and you'll still be with your girlfriend come graduation."

Sam crossed his arms, his green-hazel eyes piercing across the distance between the brothers – even four years younger, Sam stood just about even with his elder brother, though his long legs hinted that he'd one day be taller than Dean – a scowl fixed on his lips. "Then what's the plan?"

"Dad and I are going out of town tonight."

Sam's jaw visibly dropped, before he burst out, "You just got home last night! How long are you gonna be gone this time?"

"A week . . . maybe two. I don't know, Sammy, as long as the job takes."

"It's Sam," the boy protested in a sullen mutter for possibly the one hundredth time in Rhiannon's memory. "Fine. I know the rules. I'll see you guys when you get back."

"Come on, Sammy, it won't be that long."

Sam just shrugged nonchalantly. "I'll be fine. Just go, before Dad blows a gasket. I know the rules . . . I can follow them without anyone there to enforce them."

"I'm sorry Sam. Honest."

Reaching out, Sam linked his fingers with Rhiannon's and sighed, "I know, Dean. You usually are. I'll see you later. Be careful!"

"You too. Stay out of trouble?" Dean asked, opening the driver's side door to the Impala, his ivy eyes grave as he watched his little brother. Sam nodded and watched as Dean turned his attention on Rhiannon. "Hey, little star-shine? Keep an eye on him for me, okay Geek-girl?"

"I can do that," she promised, squeezing Sam's hand tightly as Dean dropped into the driver's seat and revved the engine, pulling away from the curb and driving away. Taylor reached out and touched Sam's arm. "You two want a ride?"

"Nah. We'll walk, thanks though Tay."

"Not a problem. Be careful on the walk home, okay Sam? I worry about you, headed all the way out there by yourself."

Sam nodded, bending to kiss the cheek of the much shorter girl fondly. "I'll be all right. Don't worry. You should get home, before Dragon Lady sends out the search party."

Taylor nodded, hugging Rhiannon hard. "Love you, Star."

"Love you too, Tay. See you tomorrow?"

"I'll be over to pick you up in the morning, just like always," Taylor promised, before she climbed into her own car and they were gone.

Ryan watched his twin sister and her boyfriend stand motionless for a moment, quiet but without the tension that one would expect from the situation. Finally taking a deep breath, Rhiannon spoke, "You can go home now, Ry. I don't need a ride, but thanks. Come on, Sam. Let's go home."

Chuckling, Sam teased, "Whatever you say, Sadira," as the two turned together and walked down the sidewalk, their hands still swinging lightly between them.

After that announcement, Rhiannon realized that Sam didn't have anything really to go home to and as a result walked her home to stall in going back to an empty house. Once she came to this realization, Sam spent a lot more time at the Cohen house. He'd do his homework at the kitchen table with Rhiannon and her brothers, eat dinner with the family and then either decamp to the couch or get a ride home from one of her parents.

Of the two Atwood twins, both Kirsten and Sandy would have been forced to admit that Rhiannon was the easiest to manage; she was proving to be less of a problem child than even Seth. Sam and Rhiannon spent all of their waking moments together since school started, and they'd only kissed a handful of times, all of which were quick and chaste. Ryan had been found on his bed in the pool house with Marissa no less than ten times and Kirsten was worried that she wasn't doing more to restrict the teenaged urges of a 15 year old boy. Sam and Rhiannon were almost always in the company of Taylor and/or the Cohens, and the most shocking thing they'd gotten caught doing in each other's company was when Sandy walked in on Sam leaning over to kiss Rhiannon's cheek after she figured out a calculus problem that had been stumping her. Ryan and Marissa usually spent all of their time alone in the pool house, though Seth and his lady-friend Anna or Marissa's best friend Summer could sometimes be with them too . . . and again, they were always getting caught doing some pretty heavy making-out on Ryan's bed.

Regardless of her panic attacks, Rhiannon was essentially nonviolent, preferring to retreat and avoid confrontation during her attacks instead of lashing out at anyone who got too close. Ryan lashed out violently at everyone, coming home bruised from more than a few fights, regardless of who they were or what had happened. Of the Atwood twins, Rhiannon – despite the still frequent moments of mind-fracturing terror that required constant medication and the consistent, steady boyfriend – was definitely the least of their parenting concerns.


	4. Halloween

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it.

Summary: it's almost Halloween (and we know how Sam feels about Halloween), Sam gets sick and the Geek Squad attend a party! Enjoy!

Chapter 4

It was a week before Halloween and "Sam's Girls," as they had been dubbed by Sandy Cohen, were seated at their usual table in the quad, talking idly about a party that was happening the night of Halloween. Taylor munched absently on her sushi as she inquired, "Sam would take us, wouldn't he?"

"We're not exactly the most popular crowd on campus, Tay," Rhiannon reminded her best friend as she unpacked the lunch she had brought from home for her and Sam. Bringing him lunch was another thing she'd started to come to realize was her responsibility; if she knew he couldn't stay over that night and she didn't bring him lunch, he'd go hungry for quite possibly the rest of the day and never complain.

"Your brothers are! They're part of Harbor's Core Four! They could get us in! It'd be fun and it's a costume party so no one will even notice that we're there."

"Cause Sam is so easy to miss," Rhiannon scoffed, thinking about her approaching six foot, lean and lanky boyfriend who usually stood out in a crowd like a sore thumb.

A head lowered into her line of sight and she giggled as Sam's too-long hair tickled the soft skin of her neck as Sam brushed a quick kiss to her cheek. "My ears are burning. What about me?" he asked, straddling the bench beside her and accepting the sandwich his girlfriend offered.

"There's a Halloween party next weekend and Tay wants the three of us to crash it," Rhiannon explained, deliberately keeping her voice bland and trying not to let him see how much she wanted to go, despite how much she protested the idea to Taylor. She'd never been to a high school party in Newport and was curious despite herself. And Taylor was right; both of her brothers, Ryan and Seth, were now apart of the popular crowd – mostly because of Ryan's relationship with Marissa Cooper, his newfound friendship with Luke Ward and Seth's flirtation with and complete adoration of Summer Roberts – though it seemed that lately neither had had much time for her. She was just thankful she had Sam and Taylor or she'd be relapsing at every turn.

Sam grimaced, his head swinging reluctantly from side to side as he chewed. "I really don't do Halloween, Tay, I'm sorry." Glancing at Rhiannon, he noticed the slight slumping of her shoulders and bit his lip, rethinking his hasty answer, "But I'll think about it, okay?"

Taylor squealed, leaning over the table to hug her best friend tightly. "Thank you so much, Sam! And you, Star, should talk to your brother about getting us in the door."

"Ryan and I don't talk much lately . . . he probably won't want me there. I mean, most people balk at letting geeks join the popular crowd at a high school party. And older brothers don't usually want annoying little sisters tagging along."

"But you're his twin, so he should make an exception for you. Even if you aren't talking, he still loves you, right?"

"I guess." Rhiannon just shrugged half-heartedly, causing Sam to reach out and haul her into his lap. "Is it because of me?"

Rhiannon rushed to reassure her boyfriend of exactly the opposite. "No! Ryan's just got other friends and I don't need him like I used to. He has someone new to save."

"You mean Marissa Cooper," Sam replied, though it was not a question.

Taylor made a face. "Marissa Cooper is beyond saving, and if your brother thinks he can save her, he's just heading for a downwards spiral. And Ryan can't afford more trouble."

"Whenever I even broach the subject, he just tells me to mind my own business and let him live his life," Rhiannon confessed in a whisper, cuddling close to her boyfriend and picking delicately at her sandwich with her fingernails. "It's like Ryan doesn't even listen to me anymore, and I don't know how to get my twin brother back."

Sam watched his girlfriend brood silently, before looking up at Taylor. "All right, that settles it. We're going to that party."

"Really?"

"Yep. Ladies, pick out your costumes and I will be by to pick you up on Halloween night. We'll crash it, we don't need an invitation."

Sam hugged Rhiannon tight as she threw her arms around his neck with a murmur of, "thank you," ruffling the strands of hair by his ear. "You're welcome," he replied in kind, pressing a quick kiss to her lips, before the two girls turned talk to their big math test coming up and off of the upcoming party.

Sam walked her home that afternoon, as usual, though Rhiannon could see how tired he was. Wrapping her arm around his waist, she subtly guided him as he basically sleepwalked beside her. "You okay, Sam?"

Sam looked up at her, forcing his eyes wider in a halfhearted effort to stay awake. "Where are we?" he asked, sounding confused and a little lost.

Rhiannon pointed at the Cohen house, less than twenty feet away, and Sam sighed in relief. "I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me lately."

"You getting enough sleep, Sam?" she asked, as Sam let his eyes slip closed again, trusting her to get him to her parents' house. "You've been getting tired really easily."

Sam shrugged, his whole body shuddering with the movement. "I'm all right, Sadira, I promise. Gym's just been kicking my ass lately."

"You love gym," Rhiannon reminded her boyfriend as she pushed open the front door and steered him to the living room couch. Kirsten and Sandy were at some social function and, as a result, Ryan & Seth were out with Marissa and Summer; she didn't anticipate any of them home for hours at least. "It's one of those stress relieving things for you; and I've seen how competitive you are. You leave most of the other boys in the dirt when it comes to all that physical stuff."

"Physical stuff?" he teased, tilting over gratefully as she gently eased him over onto his side.

"You know what I mean, Sam. Push ups and pull-ups and sit-ups; they all mean nothing to you. I'm pretty sure you could do them in your sleep."

"I can . . . I have," he laughed tiredly, burying his head into one of Kirsten Cohen's expensive throw pillows. "I'm not exactly weak."

"No, I know that. Remember, I've seen you fight hand-to-hand with your brother. He won, but you gave him a hell of a battle."

"Part of dad's training," Sam confessed tiredly, though Rhiannon was pretty sure he was already so far out of it that he wouldn't remember this conversation when he woke again. "Gotta kill the thing that killed mom. That's all he thinks about. Being a hunter and training his sons to be hunters. It's a part of life."

Rhiannon nodded, sitting on the edge of the couch and bending to kiss her boyfriend lightly. "Go to sleep, Sammy. I'll see you when you wake up."

Rhiannon was surprised when Sam didn't offer even a token protest to the nickname, though he did protest the idea of falling asleep in the middle of the day. "We have homework."

"You can take a nap first. No one says you have to do your homework the second we walk through the door. And I think I can manage my calculus homework by myself just this once."

Sam nodded, the sudden yawn nearly taking his head off as his whole body relaxed subconsciously into the cushions. "Wake me if you need help with it, okay?"

"Okay," she whispered her fingers light in his hair and doing wonderful things to the migraine that pounded behind his eyes as Sam let her lure him deeper into unconsciousness. Finally she bent and pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek as she murmured, "Sleep," into his skin. Sam needed no further coaching and dropped off without another word.

Getting up, Rhiannon moved carefully as she untied his shoes and eased them from his huge feet, before retreating to the cupboard for a warm quilt and another pillow. Slipping one hand under his cheek, she lifted his head and eased the pillow under him, before lowering him again. Sam mumbled quietly, but only flopped over and wrapped his arms around the pillow, hugging it to him tighter. Shaking out the quilt, Rhiannon settled it over him. Smiling at the sight of him looking so peaceful, she moved his backpack to the floor behind the couch and his shoes to sit beside the door. Grabbing up her own backpack, she moved to the kitchen and spread out her stuff on the table. Fixing herself a glass of orange juice and a snack, she sat down and opened her textbook, settling down to get the nightmare that was dual enrollment calculus out of the way.

It was just after midnight when she heard the garage door open to admit her returning foster parents. Ryan and Seth had not come home yet and Sam was still sleeping on the couch. She'd finally ordered Korean take-out and invited Taylor over, so that she wouldn't be alone in the big house. Taylor had fallen asleep sometime during the last movie and Rhiannon could feel herself getting ready to follow her into the Land of Morpheus. Nevertheless, she pushed herself to her feet sluggishly and went in search of her parents. Kirsten was adjusting the blanket over Sam, her eyes filled with genuine affection for her daughter's boyfriend, before Rhiannon murmured from the hallway. "Hi Kirsten."

"Hi honey," Kirsten murmured back, coming over and hugging the girl tightly. "Ryan and Seth in bed?"

"No . . . they haven't come home yet. I asked Taylor to come over and keep me company; she's asleep in the den. I hope that's okay?"

"That's fine, sweetie," Kirsten reassured her daughter, continuing to hold the girl as she turned her head to look at her husband with a frown. "It's a school night. The boys should be back by now."

Sandy nodded, bending to kiss each of their cheeks before reassuring his wife that he'd call them and make sure they busted their butts home, ASAP. "Sam staying the night I assume?" Sandy asked his daughter, smiling at her tenderly.

"He fell asleep the second we got here, and has been sleeping soundly since we got home."

"His homework?"

Rhiannon blushed, shrugging, "Taylor and I did it for him, just this once. He's been so tired lately; I figured that the rest was doing him more good than fighting his way through the mountain of homework his teachers assigned him."

Kirsten kissed her forehead fondly as she hummed in agreement. "We should get Taylor moved to your room and get Sam transferred to the guest room. Sandy, if you'll take care of Taylor, Stardust and I can handle Sam."

Sandy nodded, moving toward the den to retrieve Taylor and get her settled into Rhiannon's bed. The two girls never seemed to have a problem with sharing a bed together and Rhiannon's foster parents had never questioned it before. Kirsten moved to the couch, crouching beside the couch and reaching out to brush Sam's hair from his forehead. Frowning at the subtle heat coming off his skin, Kirsten shook him lightly. Sam mumbled sleepily, but forced one eye open to glare balefully at his girlfriend's mother. "I know you're tired Sam, but you'll be more comfortable in the guest room," Kirsten explained, tossing back the coverlet and helping Sam sit up. Both women each drew an arm over their shoulders, and pulled him fluidly to his feet. Sam swayed dizzily for a moment, before he allowed the women to lead him into the guest room. Kirsten left her daughter to help Sam undress, before returning to tuck him into bed. She wasn't sure why, but there was just something about the youngest Winchester that begged her to mother him. Sam blinked up at her tiredly, murmuring his good nights and passing out again before Kirsten had even lifted up from the maternal kiss she'd pressed to his forehead.

Next Kirsten turned to her swaying daughter, gathering her into her arms and hustling her to her own room. Fortunately Rhiannon was already in her pajamas, and Kirsten simply drew back the covers for the girl to crawl under. Rhiannon settled onto the king sized mattress, letting Kirsten fuss at both her and a sleepy, barely awake Taylor. Kissing each of their heads, she tucked them in once more before whispering goodnight to them both. "Love you both. I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight, Kirsten," both girls chorused, before Kirsten flicked off the light and eased the door shut behind her. It was a testament to how tired the two were that there wasn't even any muffled whispering or excited murmurs coming through the door as there usually was when Taylor spent the night; it was simply quiet. Kirsten smiled and went to go call Dean Winchester, to inform the boy of where his younger brother was . . . as well as go make some coffee and prepare to wait up for her two wayward sons.

Kirsten was still on the phone with Dean when she heard the two sons in question attempt to sneak in through the front door. "Hold on a second, Dean," she insisted, before moving into the living room with a harsh scold of, "Hold it right there! You two will give me two seconds to get off the phone, and then you'd both better have damn good reasons for being out until one in the morning, when your curfew on school nights is ten."

Focusing back on her conversation, she continued as though she hadn't been interrupted, "Sam is fine. Apparently he passed out from exhaustion right after school and has been sleeping ever since. We put him in the guest room and called to let you know where he was. Taylor and Rhiannon will make sure he gets to school in the morning . . . yes, I have some clothes here that he can wear. They were intended for Christmukkah, but he can have them now and I'll go buy him something else . . . It's not a problem . . . Dean; your brother outgrows his clothes like a fiend. I realize you don't have a lot of money to buy him new jeans every time he shoots up another inch or two and therefore, I have no problem replacing them. I am, after all, rather fond of your little brother . . . I am very sorry he worried you. I'll make sure Rhiannon calls you if it happens again . . . You too, Dean, enjoy what remains of your night . . . Tell your father I said goodnight."

Hanging up the phone, she put both hands on her hips and raked her eyes over both boys. There was a bruise on Ryan's face, coupled with a split lip, and she sighed. "You know what . . . it's late. Go to bed and we'll talk about this in the morning before school. I hope you two managed to get your homework done, while you were out doing whatever it was you were doing. And Ryan, in the morning I want to talk to you about your sister."

Ryan nodded, ducking his head as he scraped past his foster mother. Seth only yawned widely and trotted lazily up the stairs to his own room. Kirsten ran a flustered hand back through her hair, leaning back into her husband as Sandy wrapped his arms around her waist in a display of affection. "I'm worried about them," she confessed in a whisper as she rested her head back against his shoulder.

"Ryan and Seth?"

"No; Ryan and Rhiannon. They're not the same kids they were when we took them in, and I'm not entirely sure that's a good thing. Ryan doesn't seem to spend much time with Rhiannon anymore; and Stardust pretends it doesn't bother her, but I can tell it does." Unable to say anything that would be of comfort, Sandy only kissed her sweetly and guided her to their bedroom and the inviting warmth of their own bed.

The next morning, Rhiannon was standing in the kitchen, putting her and Sam's lunches together, when a battered looking Ryan came in from the pool house. "Morning Ryan," Rhiannon greeted her twin, giving him a timid smile as he moved to the cupboards.

Ryan grunted noncommittally, pulling out a bowl and a box of cereal. Rhiannon poured him a mug of coffee and grabbed the milk from the refrigerator, setting both in front of him without a word. "So there's this party next weekend," she started, pretending indifference, as she returned her attention to her own preparations.

"Yeah, so?" Ryan asked, his voice bored and disinterested.

"Well, Taylor would like to go and asked me to ask you if you could get us in the door, seeing as you're a lot more popular than Tay, Sam and me."

Ryan looked up at his sister through his bangs, watching her move easily through the kitchen having obviously grown accustomed to their surroundings and her own place in them while he'd been trying to keep his head above the proverbial water of Marissa's all-consuming problems. "Marissa won't like having Taylor Townsend there, but I'll see what I can do. Is Sam going to take you two?"

"Sam's not really into Halloween, but he said he'd take us," Rhiannon murmured, placing the three turkey sandwiches in sandwich bags and placing them in the Strawberry Shortcake lunch box that Kirsten had bought for her when she'd started taking their lunches from home. "Taylor's really excited about it."

"Yeah; what about you? Are you excited about it?"

"I've recently learned not to get my hopes up when it comes to you, Ryan. I'll reserve my excitement for when you tell us you can get us in."

Ryan jerked slightly, sounding as though he'd been sucker punched. "What the hell does that mean?"

"Please, Ryan, don't make this harder than it is . . . since Tijuana it's like you've been a different person, a different brother. You and Seth have your own friends, I get it. But I'm still your sister and you don't even spend any time with me anymore. You're kinda acting like Trey, as much as it kills me to admit that out loud."

"Trey!? You've gotta be kidding!" Ryan demanded, his eyes going wide.

"No," she whispered, grabbing two sodas from the fridge and putting them in the lunch box as well, before closing it up and stashing it in the bottom of her backpack. "It's always Marissa this and Seth that and I feel like I did in Chino, when Trey would drag us along and I knew I didn't belong in that crowd. I'm just grateful for Sam and Taylor; they've really been my support group since the beginning of the school year. I probably would have relapsed if it wasn't for them."

"God, Stardust, I'm sorry."

Rhiannon shrugged haplessly, her Prussian blue eyes meeting her brother's sadly. "No you're not. And I don't want you to be. Just try to get us into the party. Taylor would appreciate it."

Ryan's eyes were wide with horror as he nodded, "I'll do the best I can."

"Thank you," she whispered, before she turned to pour a single cup of coffee. "I should go wake Sam. I've been putting it off, knowing how tired he's been lately. But school starts in an hour, and Tay's going to be swinging back by to take us to school and he needs to be ready to go."

Stopping at her brother's side, she bent to press a lingering kiss to his cheek. "Love you, big brother," was all she said, before she disappeared from the kitchen, the steaming mug in her hand.

Sam grunted miserably as his girlfriend set the mug on the nightstand and reached to shake his shoulder. His t-shirt was soaked in sweat and his shaggy hair was matted to his forehead. "Sammy?" she asked, folding the palm of her hand over his forehead. "Oh, Sammy-honey, you're burning up. Lie still; I'm gonna go get my mother."

Sam didn't even seem to hear her, just groaning and curling up into a tighter ball as Rhiannon stood and dashed from the room, calling for Kirsten. Her foster mother – really the only mother she could remember since she was ten – came out of her room, looking concerned as Rhiannon dashed toward her at full speed. "Stardust, what's wrong, honey?"

"It's Sam. He's sick. He's so hot and I don't know what to do. Mom, fix it . . . please . . . " she begged, her eyes wide and frightened as she stared up at Kirsten trustingly.

Giving her flustered daughter a small smile, she wrapped her arm tenderly around the girl's upper arms in an attempt to stave off the panic attack that Kirsten could see building in her daughter's eyes. In her heart, she thrilled to hear the girl call her "Mom" before forcing herself back onto the problem at hand. Kirsten had learned early that the best way to prevent a panic attack was give Rhiannon some sort of structure and a clearly delineated path to follow. "All right, Stardust. Call Taylor . . . tell her not to worry about picking you up for school today. Sam's gonna need you; he's not gonna be nearly as comfortable with me taking care of him as he will be with you. Then call his brother; explain that Sam's got a fever and we're gonna keep him here until he gets better. Then get that big bowl out of the kitchen and fill it with ice. Bring me that, a pitcher of cool water and a couple rags, okay?"

Rhiannon nodded frantically as she rushed to do as told. Kirsten moved toward the guest room, seeing Sam shivering violently under the blankets. "Oh honey," she breathed, coming further into the room and laying her hand gently on the flushed skin behind his exposed ear.

Sam flinched at the cold touch of her chilled fingers, whimpering pitifully as Kirsten tucked the blankets around him more firmly. "Sam, it's Kirsten. I need you to look at me for a second, okay?"

"The light hurts," he whimpered, eyes still squinted against the dim light coming from the hallway and the bright sun coming through the windows.

Kirsten didn't even hesitate, getting up to draw the heavy black-out curtains and flick off the light switch in the hallway. Rhiannon arrived back at almost that second, carrying everything Kirsten had ordered her to get, including the thermometer which Kirsten had forgotten in her haste to contain Rhiannon's panic. "Dean insisted on coming over to help with Sam," she said, setting the bowl on the nightstand next to the untouched mug of coffee and sitting on the edge of the bed beside her boyfriend. Bending, she pressed a slow kiss to his burning forehead, whispering against the skin, "Hey baby."

"Sadira, it hurts," he groaned, clenching his eyes tighter and resting his throbbing temple against her knee.

Her fingers were gentle and absent in his hair as she murmured to him in a language Kirsten didn't know. _((It's gonna be okay, Sam, I promise. Mom and I are gonna fix this and you're gonna be as right as rain before you know it,))_ she promised, the Latin words slipping easily off her tongue as she moved her fingers along a pressure point on the back of his neck, just under his hairline.

Sam groaned in relief, as the echo of the pressure rebounded from his forehead, mirror points he'd never figured out, but it still felt like heaven. Two clear lines of peace sliced through his brain and he sagged into his pillows with a sigh. _((Thank you,))_ he replied in Latin, the first language he learned to think in – even though English was his first spoken language — and therefore the easiest one to answer his girlfriend in. _((Dean?))_

_((Is on his way. Mom had me call him to let him know what was going on, and he pretty much barked at me not to move you and he'd be right here.))_

_((Am I the only one that thinks your brother meeting mine is a bad idea?))_ Sam murmured, attempting a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

_((Ryan is capable of behaving himself in front of people. He just refuses to,))_ Rhiannon scoffed, dipping the rag into the bowl and using it to wipe away the droplets of sweat at his hairline.

The combination of her fingers pressing into his nape and the cool cloth on his forehead almost worked; almost drove the headache into manageable levels. The sound of a loud crash as the front door slammed open, in addition to the sound of Dean's voice shouting "Sammy!" as his feet pounded up the stairs, caused the lion stalking Sam to pounce and Sam was up and in the bathroom in two seconds flat, heaving his guts into the toilet bowl. Dean was there seconds later and Sam latched onto his brother – his overprotective, smothering, suffocating, stifling, arrogant, reliable and beloved older brother – as he moaned, "Dean," letting Dean's cool hands brush over the too hot flesh of his forehead.

Dean's voice was full of gentle affection and not his usual gruffness. "Easy Sammy. Just lie still."

Sam didn't seem inclined to argue – with either the order or the offensive nickname – letting Dean and Rhiannon stretch him out on the chilly tile floor with his head pillowed in his girlfriend's lap and his brother using the cold cloth on his skin to try and bring down his fever. Kirsten stood in the door jamb, shaking out a blanket and draping it over Sam's shivering form. "You two got him?"

Dean nodded, looking up at his brother's girlfriend's mother. "We got him. Thank you for letting him stay here."

"Dean, your brother is always welcome here. Let me know if you three need anything, okay?"

"Thank you, Mrs. Cohen," Sam whimpered, his green-hazel eyes hazy as they struggled to lock on her face.

Kirsten smiled, crouching to lay a hand on his exposed ankle. "Don't even worry about it, honey; just rest and get better. Okay?" Sam nodded slowly, trying not to aggravate the tightrope walker in his head. "Good. I'll be back to check on you around lunchtime."

Sam's eyes slipped closed and Rhiannon smiled at Kirsten. "Thanks Mom."

Kirsten leaned over Sam's motionless body and pressed a kiss to her daughter's temple. "You're welcome, honey. Take good care of him."

Rhiannon nodded, directing her attention back to her boyfriend as she ran her fingers lightly through his hair. Resting her hand on his shoulder, Kirsten smiled again at Dean before heading from the room and into the living room. Ryan and Seth were sitting there, with Marissa and Summer, watching her curiously. "What's wrong with Stardust?" Ryan asked, his eyes filled with concern for his twin sister.

"She's fine. Sam woke up with a pretty high fever and she panicked. She and Dean are in the bathroom with him. He'll be all right; probably just a case of the flu. It is flu season," she remarked casually, though she was actually very worried about the youngest Winchester brother. Dean wouldn't just drop everything and rush to his baby brother's side for no reason. Glancing at the clock, she scolded, "The four of you should head on to school."

"Do I need to bring them their homework?" Ryan asked quietly, causing an assessing look from Kirsten.

After a second, Kirsten shook her head. "No, I think Taylor's bringing it over for them. The three of them are the Musketeers, you know. But thank you anyway for the offer, Ryan . . . I'm sure they both will appreciate it. If you need to do something for them, talk to your friends about the party. It would definitely brighten your sister's day."

"I thought Taylor was the one who wanted to go, and Stardust said that Sam isn't into Halloween."

"Taylor does want to go, but so does Stardust. She's just better at hiding how badly she wants something so she doesn't get disappointed when she doesn't get it," Kirsten reminded her foster son, reaching out to hug both boys despite Seth's loud protests.

Ryan nodded, turning his eyes toward the upstairs guest bathroom where Sam and his brother and Ryan's sister were each lost in the repercussions of Sam's illness. "Let her know I'll talk to Luke and make sure the three of them can get in the door, okay?"

"I'll let them know. Now, I'm serious; you need to get to school before you're late."

In Marissa's car, Marissa watched Ryan out of the corner of her eye as Ryan stared out the window. "You're really going to convince Luke to let 'Freak Show' Townsend come to our Halloween party?"

Ryan whirled to face his girlfriend, his eyes dark and his mouth pinched. "'Freak Show' Townsend is my sister's only friend, because you and your friends seem to think you're better than her for some reason. Taylor accepted her with open arms and without question the second they met, while you couldn't look past her first panic attack and see the frightened girl underneath her illness! I've been so wrapped up in you and your problems, Marissa, that I've been neglecting her. She's my TWIN SISTER and I haven't looked at her twice since Tijuana, because I've been too worried about the next time you're going to do something damaging, both to yourself and to everyone around you who loves you." By the end of his tirade, Ryan was yelling and seeing red.

"She's got her boyfriend. She doesn't need you," Marissa scoffed.

"Yeah, she's got her boyfriend and she's got her best friend, but that doesn't mean that she doesn't still need her big brother . . . both of her big brothers! Are you so selfish that you can't let anyone else take someone's attention off of you for any reason? Grow up, Marissa . . . the world does not revolve around you," Ryan seethed, slamming out of the car and striding furiously toward the school.

Seth sighed and leaned over to kiss Summer's cheek. "That's my cue to go after him, before he punches someone."

By the time Seth had caught up with his foster brother, Ryan had managed to track down Taylor Townsend, Rhiannon Atwood's best friend. "Hey Taylor," Ryan greeted, jogging to catch up to her with Seth hot on his heels.

Taylor's eyes were wide as she whirled to face her best friend's two brothers. Looking around wildly for a second, she spoke, "Star's not here, so I'm not sure why you're talking to me."

"I know Stardust's not here. She's at the house with Sam. I just wanted to let you know first that you three are more than welcome to come to Luke's party. Come and have fun, okay?"

Taylor smiled up at him, clutching her books to her chest tightly. "Thank you, Ryan. We will." Suddenly biting her lip, she ducked her head and scuffed the floor lightly, "Hey, speaking of Sam . . . how is he? Star said she'd call me at lunch, but she didn't tell me much to begin with."

"Kirsten said he's got a fever and a case of the flu, but he should be okay. His brother Dean came over this morning, and Stardust's with him too."

Taylor sighed, visibly relieved by the knowledge. "Thank you. I appreciate your honesty."

"So, can I walk you to class?" he asked, as they stopped at her locker.

Taylor smiled sadly as she fumbled with the combination, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. "I don't need your pity, Ryan. You don't have to be nice to me, just to get back into your sister's good graces. I'll tell your sister you were a perfect gentleman, even if you weren't, because I can see how much it kills her to be so distanced from you right now."

Ryan's jaw dropped slightly, before he shook his head. "I'm not trying to get back into my sister's good graces . . . okay, that's not true . . . I **am**. But I'm not going to use you to do that, Taylor. That's not fair to you. I just want to walk you to class. That's all."

Looking up into his eyes, she contemplated his sincerity, before nodding. "Are you sure Marissa won't mind?"

Ryan's features hardened and he ground out, "I'm really not sure **I** care whether or not Marissa cares right now. I'm sick and tired of her whining and her drama queen shit."

Taylor smiled up at him, resting one hand on his forearm. "Talk to your sister about how she feels about Marissa Cooper. You might be surprised by what she tells you. And Sam, who is just about the sweetest and most non-confrontational person in the world, has a few nasty things to say about her too after all the run-ins he's had with her and her cronies. You might want to know what kind of person you're dating, before you find yourself in too deep to get out."

Outside the classroom, Taylor went inside to talk to Ms Hardy about Sam and Rhiannon as well as getting their homework for them, while Ryan turned to face his best friend. "Am I the only one who didn't see what kind of a person I've been being to my little sister? Or does everyone else see how badly I've treated her because of Marissa?"

"Dude, I'm just as guilty as you are. I never think to include her or Sam in any of the stuff we do with the girls. I may not be her twin, but I'm still her big brother," Seth remarked, sounding awestruck and guilt-stricken by the realization. "Maybe it's time to reevaluate everything and log some quality Ryan/Seth/Rhiannon time once Sam gets better. And then maybe the Atwood Twins need to have a long talk with each other."

Ryan nodded, spotting Luke down the hall. "Hey, I need to talk to Luke about his party and getting the three of them in. You gonna be okay on your own?"

"Dude, I am the Ironist, remember? I will be fine," he joked, the two punching fists lightly, before Seth headed off down the hall toward his own classroom.

Ryan called out to his friend, jogging to catch up with the boy. "Hey Luke, I need a favor."

The two punched fists, as Luke nodded shortly, "Sure man, what's up?"

"You remember my sister, right? Rhiannon?"

"Right, the one Winchester calls 'Sadira.' No offense to your sister, but what does she see in the kid anyway? I mean, I like the kid . . . awesome soccer player . . . but has she taken a look at him lately? He's too tall, almost hulking, and he always acts like he's smarter than everyone else."

"Probably because he is. Probably because all three of them are," Ryan muttered under his breath before plunging forward, "Rhiannon and her friends want to go to your Halloween party next week. I told her I'd see what I could do."

"Friends who?"

"Her boyfriend Sam Winchester and Taylor Townsend," Ryan said, cringing as he remembered Marissa's opinion of the girl and hoping that Luke's reaction would not be similar.

"Winchester and Townsend are friends with your sister? I didn't know that. I mean, I did, but I don't think I ever really thought about how strange that is until now," Luke remarked absently, his eyes going glazed as he contemplated the trio that Ryan had always just accepted as a part of his shiny new Newport Beach life.

Ryan lifted his hand and snapped his fingers in Luke's face, forcing his attention back onto him. "So? Party? We cool?"

"Yeah, man, absolutely. Your sister is my sister. And any friend of my sister's is welcome to crash my party. The more the merrier. Just make sure she keeps Sam away from Chip, okay? Sam and Chip had a run-in freshman year and Chip's never really forgiven Sam for the ass-kicking Winchester dished out. He's a quiet kid, but he can stomp some serious butt. And he's a hell of a soccer player; next time you see him, remind him that soccer try-outs in a week and he has to show up for try-outs for the team again this year, so the returning players can pick the rookies, would ya?"

Ryan nodded, surprised that his sister's boyfriend was a soccer player. He didn't really seem the type to get involved in sports, especially considering how often he ragged on Harbor's jocks. Shrugging it off as just another piece of the mystery that was Sam Winchester, Ryan rounded on his heel as the warning bell rang and dashed again for his first class. Dropping into the seat beside Taylor, the two exchanged quick smiles, before Ms Hardy called the class to order and the day began again.

It was a few days before Sam was well enough to leave the guest room and another day or two after that before he was well enough to hear about food without turning green. As much as it had killed him, Dean had been called home by his dad two days in and Taylor had come over to take his place. It amused Ryan to listen to the three friends banter effortlessly over little things, though even Ryan could tell that Sam's barbs were forced and didn't flow as easily as they had when he was at full health. Rhiannon spent a lot of time curled up beside him on either the couch in the den or on his bed in the guest room, while Taylor chattered on aimlessly about everything that they'd been missing at Harbor since Sam had fallen ill.

Sam finally hit the topic that Rhiannon had been consciously avoiding. "What about the party? That's in a couple days, right?"

"Sam, you've been sick. We don't have to go. Let yourself get better first," Rhiannon protested, tilting her head back to look up at him.

"Sadira, I'm fine. I told you two I'd take you to this party and I meant it. What did Ryan say about it?"

Rhiannon shrugged, before Taylor smacked herself in the forehead loudly. "You mean he didn't tell you!? Of course not; he figured I'd tell you myself. We can go; Ryan talked to Luke and Luke said the three of us were more than welcome to come. Which means we need to go find costumes Star."

Rhiannon shook her head as she laughed. "Sam and I already found ours online."

"Yeah?" Taylor asked, sprawling forward as she watched the two. "Did you order them?"

"Yeah; we figured we'd go to the party even if Ryan said no. What was to stop us from crashing it? There're gonna be so many people, Luke wouldn't even have noticed three more people."

"So what are you guys going to be?"

"You're going to have to wait and find out," Rhiannon giggled, cuddling closer to her boyfriend for one blissful moment. "You?"

"I'm gonna see if I can't raise your brother's blood pressure as a sultry Tinkerbelle," Taylor laughed, tossing her hair in debutante style, causing a deep-bellied laugh from Sam and a delighted giggle from Rhiannon. Pretending for all of a second to be affronted, Taylor couldn't resist and joined them in their joy shortly after.

The day of the party arrived and the girls were getting ready in Rhiannon's room. Sam had earned permission to pick up the girls in the Impala and he let himself into the Cohen house with an ease borne of long practice. Kirsten looked up and her jaw dropped at the sight of the boy in front of her. He was bare-chested, with a leather collar draped around his shoulders. A studded-leather gladiator skirt sat low on his hips and brushed his knees, where the laces to his Roman sandals tied off. The leather braces at his wrists, the coiled bullwhip and the silver handled dagger hanging from his belt completed the look. What Kirsten couldn't get over was how toned Sam was; the boy usually wore more layers than a cat and it was hard to figure out his real shape under the shapeless fabric. Every abdominal muscle was carved in the skin and she easily counted all six, before turning her gaze to the lean, corded biceps and well defined pectoral muscles.

Realizing that she was ogling her daughter's boyfriend, Kirsten snapped her mouth shut and took a hasty drink from the wineglass in her hand. "Hi Sam. You look . . . "

Sam's grin was slow as he teased, "Different?"

"Considerably," she chuckled. "What are you supposed to be?"

"It'll be easier to explain if you see Sadira," Sam mused absently, one hand lifting to rub sub-consciously at the back of his neck, sending a series of muscles in his chest and his arms into chaotic motion as they shifted and flexed under the expanse of skin.

A low gasp behind them reminded Kirsten that Summer was there too, as Ryan and Seth's ride to the same party. "Wow, Winchester, who knew you were so hot?"

Sam shrugged, toying with the end of the whip at his side. As though on cue, Rhiannon and Taylor's voices resounded from the stairwell as they moved to come downstairs. Taylor wore a charming Tinkerbelle outfit, with a pair of gossamer wings jutting gracefully from her shoulders. There was a touch of glitter in the laidback curls of auburn hair as well as a healthy smear decorating every inch of exposed skin and the elegant half-mask decorated with tiny butterflies. She carried a small wand and had a pair of dainty green ballet flats on her feet.

But Rhiannon? Rhiannon was as breathtaking a change as Sam had been.

She wore a dark brown leather bustier the same color as Sam's costume, with laces that started at her sides and wrapped across her whole back. The skirt was floor length, but two slits to her hips exposed the long, graceful line of a bare thigh as she glided down the stairs. A pair of high heeled Roman sandals encased her toned calves to her knees, the golden color of them matching the gilded embroidery on the bustier. Her hair was up in a high ponytail, a cascade of ringlet curls bouncing across her shoulders and down her back. Two golden cuffs gripped her upper arms tightly and a pair of black shackles hung from her slender wrists, the chain long enough to not be restrictive, but also not long enough to drag on the floor and trip her up. Her makeup was subtle, but breathtaking; the bronze colored shadow on her upper lids brought out the natural gold shots in her Prussian blues and her lip gloss was lightly tinted pink. Taylor had a black cloak over one shoulder and Kirsten knew instantly that her daughter was probably showing more skin than she'd ever shown in her life.

Sam took the cloak from his best friend and clasped it tenderly around Rhiannon's throat. Bending, he pressed a sweet kiss to the tip of her nose. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you," she whispered, reaching out to hesitantly brush a fingertip over the bare skin of his chest. At that moment, Kirsten would have bet her whole savings that Rhiannon had never seen so much of her boyfriend either. "You look very handsome."

Regardless of how confidently he'd stared down Kirsten and Summer less than seconds before, Sam blushed lightly at his girlfriend's compliment, his muscles flexing again as he scratched self-consciously at the back of his neck once more. "As long as you think so."

Kirsten smiled, setting her hands on her hips and cocking her head, "So what are you two?"

Rhiannon blushed and smiled at her foster mom. "I'm an enslaved barbaric princess and Sam is my rather hot Greek slave owner. See the whip?"

"I'm more worried about the shackles. Are they going to end up hurting you as the night wears on?"

Rhiannon shook her head, reaching up and squishing the cuff to her wrist. "They're rubber. And I can take them off without any trouble, if they start to rub my skin raw or something."

Summer couldn't resist, her arms folded across the chest of the black and hot pink vinyl costume she wore – she'd made it specifically so that Seth could sketch her as Lil Miss Vixen – as she teased, "So, who came up with this idea?"

Sam immediately pointed at Rhiannon, who only shrugged lightly, not even bothering to deny it. "I thought he'd look good in it. I just didn't realize how good. Tay, you're gonna have to help me fend off the girls off of him."

"I might be helping Sam fend guys off of you, as well as helping you fend girls off of Sam. Just stay together and be the sweet, adorable couple I know you to be and neither of you should have any problems," Taylor advised practically, hugging both of them tightly. "I'm so excited. I've never been to a high school party."

Sam shrugged lazily, "They're nothing to get excited over, Tay, I promise. I had to go to more than my fair share when I played for the soccer team."

Taylor's hand connected with his bare shoulder with a loud crack as she scolded, "At least let me enjoy the delusion until the party itself busts it."

The sight of Rhiannon wrapped up in Sam's arms, her head resting lightly against his chest with their eyes watching Taylor patiently as they quietly sought to follow her rambling, sparked a sudden need to document it in Kirsten. "I want pictures!" she suddenly chirped out, whirling around and going to find both her camera and her sons. "Ryan! Seth! Get in here! I want pictures!"

Ryan arrived in the foyer, decked out as Kid Chino, down to the steel gloves encasing his hands and forearms. Seth's comic book was still a private family thing, but her two brothers put as much energy and effort into it as girlfriends, school and homework would allow. He slammed to a stop at the sight of his sister, his jaw hitting the floor in shock. "Stardust!?" he inquired, choked, as he stared at all the skin his baby sister was leaving bare and how little she was actually leaving to the imagination. "What are you wearing?"

"My Halloween costume, Ryan," she explained patiently, rolling her eyes at Taylor as she pulled cloak around her tighter and cuddled closer to her boyfriend. "I'm sure there will be girls there wearing a whole lot less."

"I really don't care how much or how little they'll be wearing. I care about how little **you're** wearing."

"Don't you dare go all 'older brother' on me, Ryan Atwood! I have been taking care of myself without you for weeks now. You can't just barge ahead and expect me to follow orders all over again. See, Kirsten's sending me to a therapist who is all about me being more proactive and taking charge of my life. This," she said, gesturing to herself in a general enough manner that implied the costume, her boyfriend and her lifestyle all in one motion, "is how I choose to take charge of my life. So you can either get on the bandwagon, or it can leave you in the dust. Agreed?"

Ryan's jaw was clenched tightly and that muscle in his jaw that always twitched when he was precariously close to losing his temper was twitching, but Ryan nodded, his hands fisting tighter at his sides. "If someone even looks at you wrong tonight, Stardust, I reserve the right to kick his ass."

Sam muttered bitterly, "You'll have to wait in line," he countered through teeth that Rhiannon could almost hear grinding together.

Rhiannon rolled her eyes and growled at them both. "No beating people up! Either of you! I'm going to stick like glue to Sam and Taylor and not make eye contact with anyone. There's no reason for either of you to go all caveman on me. Especially you, Ryan; you cannot afford any more trouble or they'll haul your butt back to Juvie. And Sam, you dislocated that guy's shoulder at the beach when he slapped my ass. I don't want a repeat tonight, okay? Both of you stay out of trouble tonight . . . I mean it."

"Whatever," Ryan huffed, rolling his eyes slightly and grabbing the hoodie on the chair.

Rhiannon smirked, her eyes twinkling as she slipped Sam's knife effortlessly from the sheath. "Besides . . . it's real. And there's always the whip too."

Reaching out and plucking the knife from his girlfriend, Sam shoved the blade carelessly and – to Kirsten's great alarm – without looking into its sheath. "Which . . . I know how to use as a defensive weapon," Sam confessed sheepishly. "I didn't get it at a costume store; it's real and it's mine and my dad bought it for me years ago. One of the few gifts I really liked. It's kinda cool. You know when Anthony Hopkins uses the whip on the candles? I can do that. Took a lot of practice . . . but I can still do it."

"Baby, you're rambling," Rhiannon teased lightly, her eyes sparkling as she tilted her head back to look up at her boyfriend. "If you keep going, you're going to put Taylor out of a job."

"Har har, very funny," Sam muttered, rolling his eyes as Taylor smirked at her best friends.

"Sam's gonna need to ramble a lot more before that happens," Taylor snickered, yelping as she barely dodged Sam's playful slap.

Kirsten snapped a picture of the scene before her; Taylor wrapped up in Sam's left arm as the fingers of his right caused squeals of ticklish giggles, while Rhiannon stood a little apart, the chain of her shackles dangling before her, and a wide smile splitting her face as she cheered her boyfriend on. Rhiannon's eyes were amazingly dark as she twisted to look back over her shoulder at the sound of the shutter, getting another picture taken for her trouble. "You three look very nice. There's not going to be a single person there that's not going to want to knock you off your feet."

"That's what I'm worried about," Sam muttered, reaching out to drag Rhiannon into his right arm, both of his "girls" trapped neatly in his all-encompassing embrace.

"Rhiannon said she's going to stick to you like glue, Sam; and Taylor's right . . . just be the adorable couple we know you to be and everything'll work out in the end. No drinking and, if I don't see you after you drop off the girls here, drive home safe."

"Yes ma'am. 'No drinking' was one of the rules involved in driving the car."

"Good for your brother."

"Not that he doesn't think I shouldn't get wasted once in awhile to 'loosen me up,' just not when I'm driving his Baby," he continued, a sly smile tilting up one corner of his lips.

Kirsten chuckled, turning to face her sons and Summer, each of whom looked like a character out of Seth's comic book. Summer Roberts was Lil Miss Vixen, Ryan Atwood was Kid Chino and Seth Cohen was . . . well, Seth Cohen . . . in a suit-and-tie. "Are we ready to go?" Summer asked, glancing at the two boys she was going to be driving there.

The two brothers nodded, each hugging Kirsten and both boys dropping an absent kiss to Rhiannon's upturned cheek before moving toward the door. "Ready when you are."

Summer grinned and hugged the two girls – even Taylor – before leading the way outside and into her car. "See you guys at the party." Outside, the two boys heard her snicker wickedly, "Coop is going to flip her lid."

When the three of them arrived at the party, Sam slipped from the driver's seat and jogged around the hood to assist both girls from the car. Afraid of tripping over her hem, Rhiannon sat patiently until Sam leant down to offer her an outstretched hand. "My Lady," he teased, pulling her effortlessly to her feet. Rhiannon linked one shackled hand into his, while Taylor linked her hand into his opposite elbow. "Let's crash . . . shall we?" she asked cheerfully.

As they approached the door, Taylor consciously dropped back, letting the gorgeous couple make their grand entrance together and alone. Marissa was standing with Luke over by the punch bowl, discussing the success of their party, while Sam and Rhiannon entered the foyer at the head of the stairs. True to Summer's prediction – a fact Summer was there to witness – Marissa turned a horrid pale-green at the sight of the couple known throughout Harbor as the "King and Queen of the Geeks," choking on her Jack-&-Coke. Rhiannon's understated sexuality and Sam's nearly bare and hunky body easily outshined everyone at the party . . . even Harbor's Social Chair in her daring Guinevere gown.

"I hate her," Marissa muttered viciously under her breath, watching Rhiannon and Sam come further into the room as though they owned the place. "I love that costume . . . I hate her!"

Luke cast a suspicious sideways glance at his ex-girlfriend, before moving to welcome the trio. "Hey! Rhiannon, right? Ryan's twin sister?"

"Hello Luke," Rhiannon greeted, finding that the question needed no reply. "I'm sure you know Sam Winchester, and this is our good friend Taylor Townsend."

"Hey Winchester . . . Taylor, welcome to the party," Luke greeted both smiling at each teen, as he reached out to shake Sam's hand companionably. "We're gonna see you out on the field this year, right?"

Sam shrugged; "I'm sure I can be convinced. When are try-outs again?"

"Coming up in a week or two."

"I'm sure I can be persuaded to put in at least a token appearance."

A week later, Sam and Ryan had both made the soccer team, earning promises from Rhiannon and Taylor that they would be there every game.


	5. Thanksgiving

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it.

Summary: It's Thanksgiving in the Cohen house! Ryan gets a call from Trey, Rhiannon meets John Winchester, and Taylor bonds with Dean. Enjoy!

Chapter 5

When Sam told his girlfriend that his dad wanted to meet her, Rhiannon was torn between paralyzing terror and utter dread. Meeting your boyfriend's parents – or parent as the case may be – was a big deal. She'd seen an example of the kind of life it could be if the in-laws didn't like you – Sandy's antagonistic relationship with Caleb Nichol and Kirsten's tumultuous relationship with Sophie Cohen, just to name off two – and Rhiannon was hoping to avoid the perpetual panic attack that was sure to follow an existence like that.

Ryan and Seth found her curled up in the corner of the couch, the morning before Thanksgiving . . . the day before they were supposed to meet. Glancing at each other, they approached cautiously. Rhiannon was doing much better, but was still prone to being easily startled, even when at home. Seth perched carefully on the armrest next to her, while Ryan dropped into the seat beside her. "Stardust . . . you okay?" Seth asked, settling a gentle, non-threatening hand on his foster sister's shoulder.

Both boys were surprised when she shook her head and dropped her head onto Ryan's shoulder miserably. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, Ryan cuddled her close and pecked her temple. "Is it Sam?"

Eyes narrowing, Rhiannon gave her twin a scathing look that could have cooked the flesh from his bones. Seth chuckled, "Guess not. What's wrong, Stardust?"

"Sam's dad wants to meet me," she moaned despondently.

"So invite him to dinner tomorrow. Sam and Dean are coming, right?"

"Taylor too; her mom's gone AWOL again," Rhiannon confirmed sadly, her eyes turning inwards as she felt a sharp pang of bitter sadness for her friend. "I already suggested that, but John's going out of town tomorrow afternoon. It's why the boys are coming here."

"So where does he want to meet you?"

"He's taking Sam and Dean out for breakfast in the morning, and he wants Sam to bring me along."

Ryan frowned, "Damn. I was gonna bring you with me tomorrow morning."

Rhiannon rounded on her twin, eyes narrowing, "Bring me with you where?"

"Trey called. He'd like to see me."

"But not me?"

"He didn't say you. I think it was more or less implied that I'd bring you along."

She frowned, shaking her head. "You can't go."

"What!? Stardust, Trey's our brother."

"And he's gonna want you to do something that's gonna get you into trouble. How many times has he used us to get himself out of trouble?" she asked, eyes wide and very blue. "He's just gonna cause us trouble, Ryan. Don't go."

Ryan sighed, pecking the top of her head tenderly. "I have to go, Stardust. He's family."

"NO!" Rhiannon burst out, lunging free from her brothers' embrace. "He's not our family! He didn't keep us safe. He didn't protect us. The Cohens love us! They protect us! They keep us safe! The Cohens are our family!" she shouted, surging to her feet and staring down at her brother in a parody of shock and disbelief.

Rhiannon had been the way she was for as long as Ryan could remember. He recognized the signs of an oncoming panic attack. He also recognized the signs of a panic attack that could only be allowed to run its course. Scrambling from his seat, Ryan threw his arms around her body and held her tightly to him, just seconds before Rhiannon lost her tentative grip on reality. Her tiny body thrashed against her brother's hold and she screamed in terror, her eyes wide as she struggled to get free.

Struggling equally as hard to keep his hold on her, Ryan glared at a shell-shocked Seth, growling, "Go get Kirsten!"

Seth didn't need to be told twice, dashing away from them and calling for his mother. Kirsten heard her foster daughter's panicked screams moments before her son ever found of her. "Mom!" Seth shouted, skidding on the floor as he watched her dig through the medicine cabinet.

"I can hear her, Seth," Kirsten soothed, fighting to keep her voice calm. Finally locating the Epipen looking device, she gently shoved Seth out of the way and raced toward the den.

Ryan had managed to trap Rhiannon close, one knee holding her knees bent and keeping her legs under control. One hand held both of hers trapped, while the other arm hooked around her elbows and trapped to her body. Catching sight of his foster mother, he struggled to smile at her. "Kirsten! Thank God!"

Unable to resist, she smoothed her hand back through his hair, before crouching in front of her foster daughter. Pushing the pen to the denim-covered thigh, she depressed the plunger and sent the diazepam deep into the muscle. Her heart wrenched at Rhiannon's pained cry; a cry so very different from her panicked ones. Rubbing the injection site with tender fingertips, she watched as the medication flying through her veins began to work and Rhiannon started to calm. "It's all right, Stardust. You're all right, sweetheart."

Sandy arrived then, the phone in his hand. "Honey, Sam's on the phone."

"Tell him she'll call him right back."

"He's not calling for her . . . he's calling for you. Something about tomorrow."

"He's not cancelling, is he?" Kirsten demanded, in horror.

A shout of negation rang from the phone and Kirsten smiled lightly at Sam's violent denial. "If he can, he should come over."

A low disgruntled grumbling came through the phone and Kirsten sighed, well knowing what that sound meant. Turning to her sons, she inquired, "Can you get her to her room and keep an eye on her for me?"

Ryan nodded, scooping his twin sister up into his arms and carrying her toward her room. Kirsten turned to her husband and took the phone. "Sam, honey? What's wrong?"

Ryan moved from the room, and Kirsten's heart soared as he flashed her a quiet smile. His evasion of her question was obvious as Sam's low voice questioned, "Is she okay? What happened?"

"She had a panic attack, but she's okay now. She's sleeping," she answered, before returning to exactly what he was trying to avoid, "What's up Sam?"

"She's freaking out about tomorrow, and I was hoping you could talk to her about it."

"About meeting your dad? Sam, I did talk to her and I think all I did was make it worse. You should be the one to talk to her, Sam."

"I would love to talk to her . . . but my dad is insisting on 'spending family time' with my brother and me. Not like he's ever been very interested in that before, but hey, whatever," the younger Winchester son scoffed.

"But you'll be here for dinner tomorrow?"

"Dean and I both will be there. I promise." There was a muffled shout from the other side of the phone and Sam released a heavy sigh. "That's my dad . . . I gotta go. Tell her that I'll call her later?"

"I'll let her know. At least try to have some fun, Sam-honey."

Sam grunted, before he said a mumbled goodbye and the dialtone sang in her ear. Clicking off the phone, Kirsten dropped the phone in the cradle on her way to her foster daughter's room. Rhiannon was curled up on her side, with her twin brother sitting silent sentinel on the bed beside her. Ryan's fingers were tender through her hair as she spoke to him quietly. "I don't like it, Ry," she whispered, her eyes still heavy from the sedative that had drawn her down from her attack, "it's just another one of Trey's schemes . . . and all it's going to do is land us both in hot water. Don't go . . . please, don't go."

Ryan didn't say anything, leaning over and pressing a tender kiss to her forehead. "I love you," was all he said, the motion of his fingers eventually drawing her into the oblivion of unconsciousness.

Kirsten moved into the room, as Ryan shifted slightly and settled in to sit beside her as she slept. "You're going anyway . . . aren't you?"

"On one hand, I can understand where Stardust is coming from. But on the other hand, Trey's our brother! I have to at least attempt to give him the benefit of the doubt."

Her blue eyes – eyes so like those of the twins – were steady but almost disappointed as she moved deeper into the room. "I hope you know what you're doing, Ryan," she murmured, her finger gentle on his shoulders as she kissed the top of his head on impulse.

She almost didn't hear him as he remarked to the empty room, "So do I."

The next morning, Sam arrived at the house promptly at nine o'clock. Opening the door, Kirsten smiled at him. Sam and Ryan were a lot alike, and it had to almost be a top-secret, undercover operation in order for him to accept anything he needed from anyone. The jeans he was wearing were new, courtesy of Kirsten, to replace the jeans that he had finally completely outgrown a little more than a month before, and Rhiannon had had a hell of time trying to sweet-talk him into letting her buy him some new button-down flannels and dress shirts that didn't pull across the new, broader breadth of his shoulders. "Sam . . . you look nice."

"Thanks, Mrs Cohen," he muttered, one hand coming up to scrub self-consciously at the back of his neck. "Is she awake? Dean let me run ahead, but he and Dad are only twenty minutes behind me."

"I thought I heard her moving around a little while ago, but you have my permission to go and see for yourself," Kirsten laughed, stepping back and gesturing for him to come inside.

Sam grinned, that adorable lopsided, almost awkward smile that Kirsten knew her daughter had fallen hard for the first time they'd met. Hunching over with graceless ease, the 6-foot teen skated an absent kiss across the arch of her cheek, before dashing up the stairs toward Rhiannon's room, calling his girlfriend's name.

Rhiannon turned from the mirror as Sam knocked on the door. A wide grin broke across her lips as he moved further into her room, tilting up her face to accept his kiss. His tall frame completely dwarfed her tiny five-foot-nothing body and Rhiannon strained to get as much height as she could out of her tiptoes. His hands were bracing against the sides of her neck, large and warm against her skin. "You ready for this?" he breathed against her lips.

"Absolutely not," she sighed, leaning up to kiss him again. "But there's nothing to be done about it. We've put this off for months; it's time for me to meet your dad."

Sam's lips were soothing as they trailed heated kisses down her neck and across her exposed collarbone. "I don't care what happens between you and me and my dad at this breakfast thing. I want to be with you, Sadira. I want to be a normal boy with a not-so normal girlfriend . . . " Sam grinned wide as Rhiannon giggled at his description of her before continuing, "with normal friends at a normal school. Dean likes you and I like you and that's all that matters to me."

Rhiannon's arms came up around his shoulders, her fingers playing with the shorter hairs at the back of his neck. "Thank you . . . I needed to hear that."

Sam bent to kiss her again, taking his time as he coaxed her lips open. "I know. Come on. Let's get this show on the road."

Rhiannon nodded, grabbing her jacket from her desk chair, smiling as Sam reached to take it from her so as to assist her into it. "Thank you," she murmured, turning her back so he could help her shrug into it.

He smiled and linked his fingers with hers. They talked lightly as they hopped downt he stairs, their hands swinging between them casually. Kirsten stood at the doorframe, talking with Dean and a dark haired man that could only be the boys' dad, John Winchester. Sam felt his girlfriend go tense, and jumped the last few steps, his hands settling warm and safe under her arms as he swung her up and away from the stairs. Forgetting her anxiety for a second, she giggled happily, content against the warmth of his heart. Smiling down at her, Sam tucked her against him, one hand palming her hip with his arm a familiar weight against her lower back. John's eyes were dark and impassive as he examined his son's girlfriend.

Sam squeezed her hip gently, trying to be reassuring, before he spoke to his father. "Dad, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Rhiannon Atwood. Sadira, this is my dad, John Winchester."

Rhiannon pushed aside her unease and gave the man her most charming smile., one tiny hand extended toward him. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr Winchester."

John's eyes were assessing as he reached to shake her hand, a smile on his lips that didn't reach his eyes. "Miss Atwood," he greeted, his tone cool and remote.

Rhiannon held off her flinch solely by strength of will. They dropped hands and Rhiannon felt her heart sink. Her chance to impress was over before it had begun; they'd only just met and he already didn't like her.

Turning to her foster mother, Rhiannon hugged the woman fiercely. Kirsten's voice was low in her curls as she promised, "You don't have to go, Stardust."

"No; I'm not going down without a fight. I refuse to be defeated so easily."

"You take your meds this morning?" her mother whispered, drawing back from the hug.

Rhiannon nodded with a small, sad smile. "I'll be back for lunch. Is Ryan here?"

Kirsten bit her lip and Rhiannon's heart sunk further. "He left early – very early – this morning with Marissa Cooper in tow."

"Chino?"

"Yes."

Rhiannon sighed, filled with a sense almost like disappointment as she nodded. "I'll see you this afternoon, Mom."

"You too, honey. Sam, you take care of my little girl."

"Yes ma'am," he promised, taking Rhiannon's hips between his palms again. "We'll see you later, Mrs Cohen."

"It's Kirsten, Sam. Dean, we'll see you and your brother later. Mr Winchester, it was a pleasure."

John sent her a tight smile, before leading the way outside, Dean following closely. Kirsten smiled at the remaining two, joking, "Well he's a charming sort, isn't he?"

Sam grinned, as Rhiannon giggled. Linking hands with his girlfriend, Sam kissed Kirsten's cheek and then led the way toward his father and brother, and their respective cars.

Ryan was in an impossible fight of his own. Trey had just told him about Gattas and the car he needed Ryan to deliver to the chop shop. Ryan stared at his brother, before he started to laugh bitterly. "I can't believe it! I can't believe I didn't listen to her about this!"

"To who? What are you talking about?"

"Stardust; she knew this was going to happen! She knew you weren't really interested in seeing me . . . you just needed another favor."

"Ry, they're going to kill me! I need you to do this for me!"

"Do you know what kind of trouble I could be in if I get pulled over while driving a stolen car? I'd be violating my probation! They'd arrest me and this time I wouldn't get sentenced to community service and remanded to the custody of a wonderful couple in Newport Beach who have given me and Stardust everything! I'd go to Juvie! And I probably wouldn't be getting out for a very long time!"

"Come on, Ry! This is the last thing, I swear."

Ryan's eyelids slipped closed and he took a deep breath, shoving his hands back through the blond strands. Finally pushing himself to his feet, he nodded. "This is it, Trey. Don't ask me for any more favors."

Turning on his heel and striding away from the picnic table where he'd left his brother, he approached Marissa and grabbed her upper arm, hauling her up and away. "Ryan? What's going on?"

"I have an errand to run," he told her, keeping her moving at a brisk pace as they moved toward the exit.

They arrived at a rundown little house in his old neighborhood, making Ryan cringe slightly. Ryan led Marissa to the door and pushed the doorbell firmly once. A pretty girl with dark eyes and long black hair to her waist stood there. "Ryan Atwood," she greeted, her eyes cold and assessing as they looked him up and down. "Long time no see."

Ryan smiled sheepishly, "Hey Theresa. Is Arturo home?"

Theresa's eyes narrowed, "You and your little sister disappear months ago without a word, don't bother to call anyone, and now you show back up here asking for Arturo without Stardust? I don't think so. Where the hell have you been?!" Suddenly catching sight of Marissa, she sneered, "New girlfriend?"

"Kinda," Ryan replied vaguely, feeling bad about the little white lie but not wanting to get into the details of his new girlfriend with the girl who was technically his ex-girlfriend. "Marissa, this is Theresa. Theresa, this is Marissa."

Marissa smiled as graciously as she could manage, reaching to shake the girl's hand. "It's nice to meet you, Theresa. Are you friends with Ryan?"

"Nah . . . I was the girl next door."

Marissa's glance turned sharp as she snapped her head around to Ryan, remarking acerbically, "So am I."

Theresa smiled slightly, pushing open the door wider. "Come on in. Arturo's in the back. And don't think you're going to get away with not telling me about Stardust. Last I heard, the state had her placed in a mental ward when you and Trey got arrested."

"It's a long story," Ryan evaded, looking relieved to see the older of the two Sanchez siblings come around the corner.

Arturo was wiping his hands down on a rag and smiled at the sight of the young man. "Hey, Ry! I'm assuming you're here for the car. Come on, it may take a bit to get it started up."

Ryan nodded, heading off after him and leaving the two girls alone. They stood there awkwardly for a second, before Theresa spoke, "So if you know Ryan, you know his sister. How is Rhiannon? Is she getting any better?"

Marissa watched the girl sharply, trying to gage the other girl's interest. "Rhiannon Atwood is crazy, happy and in love. End of report."

Theresa frowned fiercely. "Rhiannon's not crazy; she was traumatized. Random bouts with instability come with the territory. I am glad to hear that she's happy, though. And you said she's in love? Does she really have a boyfriend?"

"His name's Sam Winchester and he's Harbor High's biggest geek," Marissa scoffed, rolling her eyes in disbelief.

Theresa's smile was wry as she remarked, "They must suit each other pretty well then." Heading deeper in the house, she remarked, "If you're going to be Ryan's girlfriend, I'd suggest you learn to get along with Rhiannon. His sister is the most important person in Ryan's life and always has been. Not a few girls have fallen to the wayside because they ignored her, or worse, insulted her." Theresa looked back over her shoulder with a sly smile as she concluded, "Just a word to the wise."

Marissa shot the other girl a sharp look, but the pretty Latina had already gone into the kitchen and was ignoring her. Ryan came back into the house then, holding out the keys to Kirsten's Range Rover. "Go home, Marissa."

"What about you? How are you going to get home?"

"I'll take a bus," Ryan replied, his eyes calm and steady. "Just go home."

Marissa stared at him, holding out the keys and so ready to be rid of her. Pouting, she snatched the keys from his hand and stormed away, barely resisting the urge to slam the front door behind her. Ryan grimaced and turned to face Theresa, seeing her raised eyebrows and folded arms. "And you're with her, because why?"

Ryan shoved his hands into his pockets and shrugged. "When I figure that out, I'll let you know."

"What does Stardust think about her?"

"Doesn't like her much, though reserves judgment for my sake; however her boyfriend, Sam, hates Marissa's guts. Marissa's not exactly the nicest person to either of them, or their friend Taylor."

Theresa snorted. "You don't say?" Then remembering the other part of the conversation, she grinned. "So Stardust has a boyfriend; who'd'a thunk it? What do you think about him?"

"Sam's okay, I guess. He adores her totally, is a complete geek and a hell of a soccer player. He's built well, though he's the tallest 16 year old I've ever met in my life. Dark hair, green eyes; he always seems to be holding her in the curve of that giant body of his so that he can protect her better."

"But he likes her?"

"Yeah, he likes her. I rather think he's in love with her."

"Good for her! That almost makes me forgive you for dragging her off into the ether without a word. Wow; Rhiannon with a boyfriend. Will wonders never cease?" she chuckled, as she reached to hug him. "Be careful taking the car to Gattas'. If you need any help, give me or Arturo a call, okay?"

Ryan nodded, hugging the girl back. Theresa was one of the few friends he'd had in Chino. It broke his heart to know that they would probably never see each other again after this. "I'll give you a call anyway. And I'll make sure Rhiannon calls you too, I promise."

"You'd better. She and I were never close, but I did try to get to know her better. At least for your sake. It'll be good to hear from her again."

Ryan nodded, bending to skim an awkward kiss across her cheek, before he rotated on his heel and was gone again. Theresa stayed where he'd left her, sighing heavily. "Good luck, Ryan Atwood. May God give you everything you desire and more than you deserve. You did good, kid."

Rhiannon sat next to Sam, watching her boyfriend interact with his family. With Dean, Sam displayed something very much like hero worship, typical of a younger brother just trying to impress his elder sibling. John, however, seemed to bring out the nastiness in her sweet, unassuming boyfriend. The two men couldn't go more than 10 minutes without finding something to bicker about, while Dean was left trying to keep the peace.

When her cell phone rang, she blushed shamefaced as all eyes turned toward her at the sound. "Excuse me," she murmured, fishing for her phone and practically fleeing from the table.

John rounded on his eldest son as soon as she was out of earshot. "I can't believe you're encouraging this!"

Dean sighed as Sam's jaw locked stubbornly. "Dad, the kids at school already think Sam's a freak; throw the kid a bone at least. She's a sweet girl and Sammy hasn't told her anything."

"Yet," Sam and his father muttered simultaneously, Sam's voice bitter as he mimicked his father's predicted response.

John glared at his youngest, hissing, "This isn't a permanent stop, Sam. We're leaving next summer, just like we did this last summer. And once you're out of school, this town is in our rearview mirror and we're not looking back."

Sam's eyes narrowed as he shook his shaggy head firmly. "I can't just drop ties like that, Dad. You had Mom; why can't I have Sadira?"

"I was in love with your mother, Sam. Therein lies the difference."

"Maybe I'm in love with Sadira. Did you ever stop to consider that in your calculations?"

"You're 16 years old. You wouldn't know what love was if it slapped you in the face."

Behind the Winchester men came the sound of a young girl daintily clearing her throat. Sam flushed, ducking his head as Dean twisted in his seat to look at the girl. "Hey Geek-girl . . . " he began, before he noticed the tears coursing down her cheeks and the distraught look on her face. "Rhiannon, what's wrong?"

"My brother . . . Ryan . . . he's in some trouble. I have to go; I have to help him."

Sam stood, his hands tender around her upper arms as he stilled her flight from the restaurant. "Sadira, we drove you here. How are you going to get to Chino?"

"I don't know. I'll call Taylor or something. Please, Sam, I have to go."

Arching upwards slightly out of his chair, Dean fished the keys to his Impala out of his pocket and tossed them to his little brother. "Be careful with my baby. I'll have Dad drop me off at the Cohens. Don't be late to dinner; Mrs Cohen'll freak out."

Sam gave his brother a terse smile, before he gripped Rhiannon's arm and guided her toward the door. John looked at his son, thunderclouds in his eyes. "Why are you encouraging this?"

"Dad, it doesn't matter how much you try to tell him that he's not in love; he is. I can see it in his eyes. I'm old enough to remember how you used to look at Mom; he looks at her exactly the same way," was the last thing Dean would say on the matter, returning his attention to his breakfast and off of his brother's girlfriend.

Ryan knew that his sister had about a thirty minute drive from where she and Sam were having breakfast with Sam's family, and so he stalled going over to Gattas' for as long as he could. He spent most of that time talking to Arturo as they fiddled with the finicky car; catching up on everything that had been happening since the twins had gotten into a car with Sandy Cohen and left Chino behind them. Twenty-five minutes later, he shook Arturo's hand and waved goodbye to Theresa once more, before heading toward the chop shop, all the while praying under his breath that Rhiannon was on her way.

He arrived at the chop shop and climbed out, looking around the establishment with cold blue eyes. A tall Latino emerged from the darkened depths of the shop, wiping his hands on a rag. "Can I help you?"

"I'm looking for Gattas," Ryan said, the keys to the car held tightly in his hands.

"I'm Gattas," came a voice from the side. "Who are you?"

"My brother owes you a car," was Ryan's only response, as he tossed the proprietor the keys.

Gattas caught them in a sweeping motion, cocking an eyebrow in question. "Atwood, then, is it? Your brother's owed me this car for awhile now; where's the interest?"

"Trey didn't tell me about any interest," Ryan replied, his eyes narrowing as the other guys in the shop started to come out, some of them grinning with what could only be described as glee.

"Well, that's too bad. I would have liked to take the interest out of his hide . . . but baby brother's will work just as good. Get him, boys."

There was a roar of a well-tuned engine as Ryan hit the ground, his eye and his ribs throbbing from several well laid punches. Sam's voice was comforting but firm as he spoke to Rhiannon, before the six foot teen was in the thick of the fight, astounding the elder twin with his easy grace and extensive skill at martial arts. One by one, Gattas' goons hit the ground as Sam moved through the throng like a machine. It was hardly any time at all, before Sam was leaning down and hauling Ryan to his feet by his arm. "You okay, Ry?" he asked quietly, steering the blinded twin toward the Impala easily.

"Fine," Ryan grunted, letting Sam shove him unceremoniously into the backseat.

Rhiannon whirled in her seat, reaching out and pushing a handkerchief to the bloody cut under his eye; it was already swelling shut and Ryan knew without a doubt that it was going to be one hell of a shiner by morning. "Are you okay, Ryan?"

"Better off than I could have been; you two have amazing timing," Ryan chuckled, smoothing back a strand of his sister's hair.

Sam smiled briefly into the rearview mirror, cracking back, "Just don't bleed on the seats. Dean would kill me."

Ryan laughed outright, groaning lightly as his bruised ribs protested the movement. "Sam, where did you learn to do that?"

Rhiannon answered instead, "Sam's dad taught him; he and Dean spar together all the time."

Sam nodded, "If you ever want to just fight something, give me a call. I'm always up for the practice."

Ryan snorted lightly, "I'll keep that in mind." Frowning, he questioned, "What am I going to tell Kirsten and Sandy?"

Rhiannon rolled her eyes, flipping back around in her seat. "You could try the truth."

"Sure," he drawled snidely, before continuing in a droll tone, "I'll just tell Sandy that I let my incarcerated older brother talk me into delivering a stolen car to a chop shop, so that he wouldn't get killed while he was in lock-up. That'll go over fantastically," Ryan remarked dryly, rolling his eyes in a fashion so similar to his sister that Sam was forcibly reminded that the two blonds were twins.

"Don't be a jerk!" Rhiannon snapped, not willing to let her brother get away with his snide remarks. "I told you not to go! I told you that Trey was only using you! You were the one who didn't listen to me. You're going to have one hell of a shiner before dinner. What else would you tell Mom and Dad? You walked into a door!? Don't be ridiculous. You just have to tell them the truth, and accept the consequences. That's what responsible adults do, Ryan. It's how you earn trust."

Ryan narrowed his eyes at his twin, growling, "Shut up, Rhiannon!"

Rhiannon rotated to glare at him, sticking her tongue out at him childishly before she flopped back around again. Sam chuckled, turning the car onto the freeway and heading towards home.

Taylor and Dean say on the Cohens' porch, waiting for Sam and Rhiannon to bring Ryan home. Taylor was listening to Dean's recounting of Rhiannon's disastrous breakfast with the Winchesters. "It was really that bad?"

"Worse," Dean groaned, his fingers scrubbing dismally at the back of his head. "Dad hates her."

"Poor Star," Taylor moaned, dropping her temple forlornly onto Dean's shoulder.

"Rhiannon's tough; she can handle my dad's disapproval. She loves Sam and Sam practically worships her," Dean reminded the younger girl, turning his head so as to press an affectionate kiss to the top of her head. "As long as they're together, they'll take on the world and come out on top, no problem. Trust me."

Taylor nodded, taking comfort in Dean's solidness and understated strength beside her. "I do trust you," she promised the 20 year old quietly. "Dean?"

"Hm?"

"Do you think I'm attractive?"

Dean reared back slightly, his eyes widening as he stared down at one of his little brother's best friends. Taylor Townsend was sexy, attractive and high intelligent. If it wasn't for Dean's belief that she was too young and totally out of his league – as well as her crush on an oblivious Ryan Atwood – he would have been gunning for her months ago. "You and Rhiannon are firmly tied for the second most beautiful woman I've ever seen, Tay."

"Only the second? Who's the first? You have a crush we don't know about?"

"She was my mom," Dean answered sadly, smiling lightly at her stricken features.

"Oh Dean, I'm so sorry. That was callous of me."

"It's all right; I know you were only teasing," he reassured her, looping one arm around her shoulders. "What's wrong, Princess? Are kids at school picking on you?"

"I'm one of Harbor's three biggest geeks; of course they pick on me."

"Taylor, kids being mean is a simple fact of life. But that should never affect how you feel about yourself. You are gorgeous, and I'm not just saying that because you're Sammy's best friend."

Taylor gave him a small but genuine smile that made his heart flutter into his throat. "Really?"

"Really really," he promised, hugging her close. "Sam and Rhiannon adore you completely and I'm pretty fond of you myself. You ever need anything, anything at all, and we'll be there to take care of you. I promise."

"Thanks Dean."

"No thanks necessary, Princess."

For a long time the two sat silent on the porch, Dean's arm around her shoulders and her tiny body tucked into his larger one. Dean stood as the Impala pulled up the driveway, reaching down a hand to pull Taylor to her feet as well. Prussian blue eyes blazing, Ryan slammed from the car and stormed toward the door, brushing past the two standing there and slamming the front door behind him. Rhiannon was right on his heels, though she at least paused to hug her best friend tightly. "Hey Tay."

"Hey sweetie . . . go on; I can wait for the juicy details," she promised, watching as Rhiannon continued after her pouting twin brother with a look of pure determination set in the curve of her lips and in the darkening Prussian eyes that were so like her brother's. Sam hugged Taylor next, looking carefully between the two – one his best friend and the other his womanizing older brother – and asked, "There's nothing going on between you two that I should know about, is there?"

Dean and Taylor glanced at each other, the look just a little too long for Sam's stomach to properly settle, before Dean replied, "Not yet. And if that should change we'll let you know."

Sam sighed, massaging the bridges of his eyes with one hand. "I'm not sure if that's supposed to make me feel better . . . or worse."

Meanwhile, Rhiannon was fighting to catch up with her twin. "Ryan Gabriel Atwood! Don't you dare walk away from me when I'm talking to you!" she snapped, lengthening stride and just barely able to catch up with him in the kitchen . . . which was filled to capacity with the Cohens, Caleb, Julie, Marissa, Marissa's little sister Kaitlyn, Seth's girlfriend Summer and Seth's _**other**_best friend Anna Stern. Her eyes were wide as she looked around the room, feeling that terribly familiar feeling of panic and unease flare.

Trying to distract her daughter, Kirsten smirked slightly, glancing at her foster son teasing, "Gabriel?"

"Don't ask," Ryan sighed, turning away from the patio door and turning to face his sister and thereby showing off his new shiner to the whole room. "I'm done talking about this with you, Stardust."

Before Rhiannon could attempt a scathing retort, Kirsten gasped and lunged forward to catch Ryan's chin. "Ryan! What happened to you!?"

"Nothing," Ryan insisted, brushing Kirsten's hands away gently.

Rhiannon narrowed her eyes at him, folding her arms firmly across her chest and growling, "It wasn't nothing, Ryan! You could have been seriously hurt because of him!"

"Drop it, Rhiannon!" Ryan snarled at her, his eyes blazing with hellfire.

Fortunately Rhiannon had known Ryan long enough to know that he'd never hurt her, or even she would be a little frightened by that look. Instead she let her own Prussian eyes spark with lightning, thunderheads forming in her normally calm features. "Tell her what happened, Ryan!"

"I got into a minor fight," Ryan evaded carefully.

"The truth, Ryan," Rhiannon hissed, knowing that Caleb would use her brother's words to once again press his luck about what a bad influence Ryan was on Seth.

Ryan glared at her again, before elaborating. "Trey needed a favor to pay off an outstanding loan; when I went to take care of it, the guy decided to take the interest out on my face. Sam and Rhiannon showed up just in time for it not to turn into a major beating."

"Are you okay?" Kirsten demanded, reaching for his shirt hem and trying to pull it up to see his ribs and see how bad the damage really was.

Ryan evaded her hands neatly, insisting, "I'm fine. Stardust's just making a bigger deal out of it than it really was."

Rhiannon huffed angrily, opening her mouth to release an angry retort when warm, familiar arms wrapped around her shoulders and cut her off. Turning, she moved to burrow deeper into her boyfriend's arms. Sam's voice was cutting as he replied to Ryan's insistence, "If I hadn't showed up when I did, Ry, you would have been pulp. So don't demean your sister's concern. You've been the only constant in her life since she was a child; doing stupid shit that could get you killed just makes her condition worse."

Trying to take the attention off of her, Rhiannon looked over at Dean, smirking lightly, "You should have seen Sam, Dean! He was awesome! And he was totally outnumbered!"

Dean grinned proudly at his little brother, reaching out to ruffle his hair. Sam ducked away with a burst of light laughter. "Yeah? How many were there?" he inquired, allowing Sam to evade him.

"Just a couple," Sam evaded with a small shrug and a light blush.

Ryan rolled his eyes, piping up quietly, "Try seven. He took them all out like they were nothing. He was a machine, man."

"Seven!?" Dean asked, eyes going wide at the number. "And they were all bigger than you, weren't they Sammy?"

"It's Sam . . . and only by a little."

Rhiannon scoffed, with a roll of her pretty eyes. "And that's the biggest understatement I've ever heard. They were at least twice his size!"

"Sadira!" Sam whined, turning on the full power of his puppy eyes on his girlfriend to try and take the attention off of him again.

Dean railroaded over whatever she'd been about to say, watching his little brother with narrowed eyes. "And how many injuries do you think you're going to be hiding from me and Dad, exactly?"

Sam groaned lightly, before protesting, "It's not that big of a deal, Dean! It's just a bruised rib and bruised pride." Rubbing idly at his jaw, Sam muttered, "It was a cheap shot anyway."

"He's fine, Dean. I already checked. It'll be sore for awhile, but it'll heal up without any problems at all."

"See! I told you; I'm fine."

Ryan spoke up then, effectively turning the attention away from Sam's heroics. "Either way, Sam probably saved my life. Those goons weren't pulling their shots."

Kirsten reached out and hauled her foster son to her, hugging him fiercely. "I'm proud of you for helping your brother, honey, but you need to come to us if you need help with stuff like that. The last thing we want is for you to get sent back to juvie. Okay?'

Ryan nodded, ducking his head lightly as he hugged his foster mother back. "Thanks Kirsten."

"Not a problem, honey. Why don't you go get cleaned up for dinner? It's about an hour away. Sam . . . Rhiannon, you too. Taylor, if you wouldn't mind helping Kaitlyn set the table, I'd appreciate it."

"Sure thing, Kirsten," Taylor chirped, going to counters to grab the china plates sitting there. The two girls divvied up the load, working together quietly and efficiently. Dean eventually took over Kaitlyn's place, helping Taylor set the table, the two shooting secretive looks at each other every second or so.

Rhiannon and Sam moved together to the stairs, while Marissa slipped out the back door to the pool house. Caleb immediately turned to his daughter. "Who are those boys?"

"The Winchester brothers? Sam is Rhiannon's boyfriend and Dean's his older brother. They're practically family, Dad; so whatever insult you're about to level, I don't want to hear it. Sam takes good care of Stardust and he's spent more than a few nights in our guest bed. I trust them both."

"You trust them? They're teenagers! How you do you know they haven't slept together yet?"

"Because Sam respects her enough to wait for her to be ready for that step," Kirsten said, her tone allowing no argument. "Rhiannon looks like she's better, but she still falters occasionally. Sam knows, maybe better than anyone, that one false step could mean several steps backwards in her recovery." Kissing her father's cheek, she insisted, "I trust them . . . all of them. Even the juvenile delinquent that you keep insisting in only trying to rob us blind of all of our money. Leave it alone, Dad."

That night, when the Cohens 2 sat down to Thanksgiving dinner with everyone they loved around them, it filled Kirsten with the greatest feeling of warmth she'd ever felt. Glancing at Rhiannon, she smiled to see her almost absently holding her boyfriend's hand, while she chattered on with her best friend who was seated at her left. Dean sat on the other side of Taylor, and for a whimsical moment, Kirsten imagined the two brothers as the silent protectors of the girls sitting between them. Marissa sat between Ryan and Summer, though there was an obvious coldness directed at her boyfriend from Marissa; a coldness Ryan obviously didn't feel as he laughed along with Summer as Seth and Anna rambled on about some new comic book that was coming out the next day. Her children's father sat across from her at the head of the table, with her own father seated to her left.

Looking around, she cleared her throat and drew their attention to her. "I'd like us to go around and tell at least one thing that we have reason to be grateful about this year. We don't have to go in any particular order, I just want us to share at least one thing." I'll even start." Glancing at her two foster children, she smiled at them brightly, "I am grateful for my new daughter and my new son, and for the newfound closeness I've found with my family because of them."

A long silence followed, before Rhiannon spoke up, "I'm grateful for everyone here."


	6. Christmukkah!

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it.

Sorry it's been so long. I will try to update more frequently. In the meantime, here's the next chapter.

Chapter 6

Rhiannon and Ryan woke up one morning to find Seth wearing the most ridiculous looking Christmas sweater she'd ever seen. Taylor had slept over the night before and the two girls circled Seth slowly, trying to find the appropriate words to express their confusion. Finally Taylor just burst out, "Seth, _what_ are you wearing?"

Seth smiled at his little sister's best friend and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Well Tay, I'm glad you asked. See, it's that wonderful time of the year that I like to call Christmukkah."

"Christmukkah . . . " Rhiannon echoed, her eyes wide with interest and curiosity. "What on earth is Christmukkah?"

"Well, baby sister, I'm glad you asked. What'll it be? Do you want your menorah? Or do you want your candy cane? Christmas or Hanukkah? Well, my dear Rhiannon, let me be the first to tell you that you don't have to choose, thanks to that wonderful holiday I like to call Christmukkah!"

This time Ryan's voice echoed Seth, though he sounded disbelieving as opposed to confused, like Rhiannon had been. "Christmukkah?"

Seth clasped his hands together and sighed. "Even hearing you say it, Ryan, fills me with great happiness. Today, it's going to take over the world!"

Sandy and Kirsten came into the house then, lugging a great pine tree into the house. "Hey guys! We got the tree!"

Seth sighed and shrugged lightly, before continuing in a much less grandiose tone, "Or at least the living room."

"A little help here, boys!" Sandy called, to which Ryan rushed to assist his foster father in lugging the tree into the house.

After they set it up into the corner, Kirsten came over and wrapped her arms around the two girls. "When Seth was little, we didn't really know what to raise him," she remarked in an attempt to explain.

Seth nodded enthusiastically, continuing, "And so I raised myself and created Christmukkah. Let's see if I can't explain this. See, from my father, a poor struggling Jew in the Bronx, Hanukkah consisted of Chinese food and watching It's a Wonderful Life on TV. And for my mother, Waspy McWasp, Christmas was a big affair, complete with all the trimmings."

Kirsten scowled up at her son, "I am not a WASP."

Seth smiled patronizingly down at his mother as he continued, "Sure you're not Mom. Confronted with these two great traditions, I came up with the wonder that is Christmukkah. It's great, man, really. Eight days of presents, followed by one day of MANY presents."

Ryan and Rhiannon exchanged a poignant look before Ryan spoke, "It sounds great for you guys, really."

"For the both of you too, Ryan. Surely there has to be some kind of Atwood Christmas traditions that we can throw into the mix. You too, Taylor, and Sam and Dean. There has to be something you all can add to Seth's uber-holiday," Sandy protested, eyes warm with genuine affection and paternal amusement.

Rhiannon shook her head and Kirsten's eyebrows furrowed. "Surely there's something, Stardust."

Rhiannon spoke quietly. "Christmas at the La Casa de Atwood usually found me hiding under my bed, so our mom's boyfriends couldn't find me," from there Ryan picked up the story, "And I was usually getting my ass kicked so our mom's boyfriends wouldn't go looking for her."

Kirsten looked stricken for a moment, before she tightened her arms fiercely around Rhiannon's shoulders. "Well, this year it'll be different. Only good memories this year, I promise."

Rhiannon smiled up at her foster mother and nodded. "Whatever you say, Mom."

"That's a girl," Kirsten chuckled, hugging her daughter fiercely. Turning to the other girl in her arms, she inquired, "What about you, Taylor? Do you and your mom have any traditions you can add to Seth's holiday?"

"My mom doesn't really celebrate Christmas. It's just another day to get work done. We used to when my dad still lived with us, but I was too young to really remember most of that."

Kirsten frowned, turning to her daughter once again, "Sam and Dean?"

"Don't celebrate Christmas either; not since their mom was killed when Sam was 6 months old. Their family really doesn't do the holiday spirit, Mom. Sorry."

Kirsten's eyebrows furrowed as she puzzled over the fact that the five children she loved as dearly as she loved her own son had never been subjected to the wonders that was Christmas. Frowning furiously, she spoke up, "Well that's all going to change this year. Taylor, you're coming over for Christmukkah. Stardust, you need to call the boys and insist that they're going to be apart of this holiday too, even if it kills them. I expect all of you to buy presents. Everyone will spend the night here on Christmas Eve and we'll all open presents together on Christmas morning. Understood?"

Taylor and Rhiannon glanced at each other, giggling. "Obey the Kirsten," they teased, eyes sparkling as they watched her fire orders with a manner befitting any drill sergeant.

Scowling at them both, Kirsten gave up and rolled her eyes, hugging them both fiercely. "Very funny. I'm serious, guys. This Christmukkah is going to be a good Christmukkah. It's going to be everything you should have had since the beginning."

All three nodded, before Ryan fled toward the pool house and the girls disappeared out the door at the sound of the Impala roaring up the drive. The three Cohens were left standing there, contemplating what they now knew about the childhoods of the Winchester, Atwood and Townsend children. "I don't know what to say," Seth remarked, his eyes wide as he turned toward his mother.

"There isn't anything to say, Seth. We just have to make it the best year we can for them. Come on; let's trim the tree." Seth nodded miserably and turned to help his parents work on the tree.

The girls climbed into the backseat of the Impala together, uncharacteristically quiet as they each considered Kirsten's edict about Christmukkah. The Winchesters exchanged a quick look before Sam rotated to look at the two girls. "All right, what's going on? No happy giggling from Sadira, no constant chatter on the part of Tay, no idle gossiping? Something's up."

Taylor and Rhiannon exchanged a look, before Taylor spoke. "Seth was telling us about Christmukkah this morning."

"Christmukkah?" Dean inquired, shrugging at the curious look his brother shot him from the passenger seat.

"It's apparently a cross between Hanukkah and Christmas that Seth came up with when he was little. Mom insisted that everyone's going to be taking part in it this year; including Taylor and the two of you."

Sam's piercing look toward Dean was telling as Rhiannon informed them of that little detail. "We really don't do holidays, Geek-girl. It's just another day."

"Not this year, Dean. Kirsten'll be furious if you two don't show. She was really upset when she found out that none of us could offer any Christmas traditions to Seth's holiday. She was completely distraught to discover that Sam's never had a real Christmas, and that Star spent her Christmases hiding from her mother's boyfriends under her bed."

"And that Ryan used to spend them getting the tar beaten out of him," Rhiannon whispered, remembering how pale Kirsten had gotten when her twin had confessed that little tidbit. "The Kirsten was out in full force after that point. We've been ordered to buy presents for everyone, spend the night at the house on Christmas Eve and be on hand to open presents Christmas morning."

Dean went to protest, but Sam only laughed and shook his head. "There's nothing to be done for it, Dean. No one disobeys The Kirsten. We fear and we obey mindlessly, because the consequences are too terrifying to think on."

Rhiannon punched her boyfriend's shoulder lightly then, though she was grinning widely. "I'll remind you that that's my mother!"

Sam grinned back at her, leaning over the seat back to press a sweet kiss to her lips. Rhiannon giggled, her hands coming up to cup his cheeks as she returned the awkward kiss the best she could. Taylor scooted forward, looping her arms around Dean's chest and resting her chin on his shoulder. "It could be fun," she remarked in his ear, her voice pitched low and for only his ears.

"Or it could be a total disaster," Dean fired back.

"You'll never know if you don't try."

Dean turned his eyes to the side, watching her for a moment. "Whatever you say, Tay. If you think this'll be a good idea, then let's do it. I could never give Sam a good Christmas. If Geek-girl's parents are so determined to give him one, I don't think I can argue the point."

Taylor squeezed him tightly. "It'll be awesome, Dean, you'll see. It'll be the best Christmas ever!"

The next day, Sam dropped Rhiannon and Taylor off at the mall to get their Christmukkah presents for everyone attending the celebration that year. Sam, however, borrowed Taylor's car and headed over to the Newport Group to see Kirsten Cohen. At a soft knock on the door of her office, Kirsten looked up to see her daughter's boyfriend standing there, looking awkward. "Sam? What are you doing here, sweetie?"

"Taylor and Sadira are out on a shopping spree, and I need your help."

"What's up?"

"I'd like a job."

Kirsten's eyes flared slightly at the request, before narrowing as she watched him fidget quietly. Sam didn't like asking their family for anything; it must have been killing him to have to ask her for this. "What brought this on?"

"I'd like to get Sadira something really nice for Christmas, but my family doesn't exactly have a lot of money to be throwing around."

Leaning back in her chair, she nibbled on her lower lip for a moment before coming up with the perfect job for him. "Sandy's been needing a personal assistant. The extra work has been killing him." Leaning forward on her elbows, she explained further, "You'd essentially be a gofer; pretty much running stuff around, filing and stuff like that."

"At the corporate law firm?"

"Yep. What do you think?"

"What do I need to do?" Sam asked, his green-hazel eyes shining with excitement.

"I'll talk to Sandy about it tonight. You're a good kid and Sandy could desperately use the help." Narrowing her eyes, she remarked casually, "I'm assuming you don't want my daughter to know about this."

"Not yet. If you didn't tell her, I'd be very grateful."

Kirsten chuckled. "Just beware of doing well. Sandy'll keep you around if that happens."

Sam joined in her laughter, nodding. "I'll keep that in mind."

"You do that." Kirsten teased with a bright smile. "You coming to dinner tonight, sweetheart?"

"Am I invited?" he asked in reply, eyes sparkling with teasing mirth.

Kirsten rolled her eyes at the question, scoffing. "As if you need an invitation, Sam. You or your brother, for that matter." Standing, she circled her desk to hug him fiercely. "Go on . . . get out of here."

Sam grinned, bending to kiss her cheek before he headed once again out of the room, calling over his shoulder, "I'll see you tonight at dinner Mrs C!"

"It's Kirsten!" she laughed in reply, throwing up her hands in mock frustration as the only reply she received was a happy laugh.

Sam started work at Sandy's office two days later. It was relatively easy to hide his new job from Rhiannon; she and Taylor were both busy with the winter play at school. Both girls were in drama club, and Taylor had talked Rhiannon into auditioning for the lead part. Much to the surprise of his girlfriend – and with fierce pride from Sam – Rhiannon had won the lead role of Collette in _Les Miserables_ hands down. Sam loved to listen to her humming along with the music in her head when he picked her up after practice. He loved to see her so totally and completely happy.

A week later, Sam fidgeted with his tie as he copied a proposal for Sandy, eyes taking in his surroundings casually. Sandy stood at the door to his office, unnoticed by his young assistant, watching the three young girls that Sam had been complained about earlier in the day. They were interns and only a few years older than him, as well as being very interested in the youngest Winchester son. They had been trying to attract his attention for a few days, and Sam had mentioned that they had been interfering with his job as well. Sam's eyes were impassive and uninterested as they passed over them as he looked about the room, causing a secretive smile from Sandy.

Displeased by this, one of the bolder girls stood from her tiny desk and approached him, fluffing her hair and tugging on her tight fitting suit jacket. "Hi Sam," she simpered, visibly preening for his benefit.

Sam's only response was an annoyed grunt as he pulled the newly copied sheets from the tray and began to methodically sort them. Sandy chuckled at the girl's obvious dismay, before glancing at his watch. "Sam?"

Sam turned, his eyes wide and curious. "Yeah Sandy. I'm almost done with the copies. Did you need something else?"

Sandy chuckled, shaking his head. "It's the first night of the holiday, Sam. Go on home, kid. Pick up your paycheck and we'll see you tonight at dinner. Don't forget to bring your brother."

"Yes sir! Thanks Sandy!"

"Not a problem. Give my daughter a kiss for me, okay?"

Sam blushed, rushing through the finishing touches on the copies. Handing the folder, and the neatly stacked proposals, to Sandy, Sam turned tail and ran for the front desk, tugging self-consciously at his tie.

Sandy chuckled at his quick exit, glancing at the abandoned college intern. "Leave Sam Winchester alone, Ellie. For starters, he's too young for you. And he's madly in love with my daughter, and I doubt that you're ever going to be able to change that." Still chuckling at the horror on the girl's face, he turned back toward his office and went back to work.

Sam pulled up at the high school ten minutes before drama club let out. Parking Taylor's BMW by the auditorium, he approached the building and slid into the room soundlessly. Rhiannon stood on stage, decked out in her complete costume, singing her heart out. Taylor caught sight of Sam from the wings and gave her best friend an exuberant thumbs up. Taking a seat near the top of the auditorium, Sam nodded back, a big grin on his face; drama club had been a good idea for his girlfriend. Rhiannon could lose herself, and her ever present unease, under the guise of her character, allowing the audience to revel in her dramatic talents. The next night was opening night and Sandy had already given Sam the night off. The Cohens were planning on attending, as were Ryan, Sam and – despite half-fierce, half-teasing protest – Dean. Rhiannon was nervous as hell, but excited too, and Sam couldn't have been more proud of her.

Taylor came out after rehearsal was over, taking the seat beside him. "Hey, how was work?"

Sam's eyes went wide, glancing around for Rhiannon, before glaring at her half-heartedly. "I thought we had agreed not to tell her about that until after the holiday is over."

"We did. But she's going to be awhile. That dress takes forever to get her into it; it takes even longer to get her out of it," Taylor scoffed, rolling her eyes at the thought of the numerous layers that Rhiannon was dealing with at that moment. "So . . . how was work?"

"Fine. I kinda like it. I'm gonna ask Sandy if I can keep on after the holiday."

"He'll probably let you, just because you're good at it," Taylor teased, bumping shoulders with her best friend. "So, you're going to be at dinner at the Cohens tonight, right?"

"Yeah. I've been ordered to make sure Dean is there too," he replied in that absent tone that told Taylor it had been a deliberate question.

Taylor laughed at the tidbit, her nose crinkling as she teased, "Has anyone ever told you that you are as subtle as an elephant in a china hutch?"

"You just did," Sam said, with a shy half-smile. "Do you like him?"

Taylor's brown eyes were amused as she sent as sideways glance his way. "Are you going to do a very predictable little brother thing, and warn me off him?"

"No." came Sam's surprising answer.

Taylor's eyes went wide as she rotated to face him. "No?"

"I figure that you know what you're getting into with Dean. You're a big girl, Tay, and I would never try to tell you what to do. I just want you to be careful; you're a beautiful girl and I want you to get together with someone who will treat you like the princess you truly are. Okay? If it's Dean . . . I will be the first to wish you well. If it's not, that's okay too. I just want you to be happy."

Reaching out, Taylor hugged him tightly. "Thanks Sam."

"You're welcome," he murmured, his fingers playing idly with her hair as they hugged. "By the way, if Dean asks . . . this never happened, okay? I reserve the right to threaten him, deal?"

Taylor laughed out loud at that, a bright smile on her lips. "Deal."

"All right then," he laughed, before glancing at his watch. "Now . . . where the hell is my girlfriend?"

"I told you, that dress takes forever."

Sam groaned, slouching gracelessly in his chair as he dropped his head back. "So, how's she doing?"

"You saw her. How do you think?"

"She looks amazing. She sounds amazing. I can't wait to see the whole thing. I only ever get to see the end," he grumbled with a roll of his eyes.

"She's really starting to come out of that shell of hers, Sam. You'd be so proud of her to see her up there, just giving it everything she's got."

Sam chuckled. "That statement implies that I'm not already proud of her. This whole thing took a lot of guts for her. I'm proud of her for even auditioning; going through with it makes me so proud I could burst."

At almost that second, the sound of familiar giggles filled the auditorium as Rhiannon entered the room, followed by what could only be described as an adoring entourage. As one of the guys at her left got a little too close to her, his hand cupping her elbow gallantly as he assisted her down the stage stairs, Sam let out a low, disgruntled growl. Taylor laid a gentle hand on his forearm, admonishing, "Calm down, Sam. They've been panting after her all semester, and she hasn't given any of them the time of day yet."

Sam glanced at Taylor, before pushing himself to his feet. At the movement, Rhiannon's whole face lit up with pleasure. She wrenched free from the guy at her elbow, and dashed at full speed up the aisle toward her boyfriend. "Sam!" she laughed, lunging at him from nearly three feet away and slamming into his arms with enough force to nearly knock him over.

Sam back-stepped quickly, desperate to keep his balance and not dump them both to the floor, as he swept her into his arms. "Hey there, Sadira. How was rehearsal?"

"It was awesome!" Rhiannon's eyes were wide and happy as she beamed up at him. "I'm so glad you're here! It's the first night of Christmukkah tonight! You're coming to dinner right? I'm so excited," she rambled, her mouth moving at a mile a minute.

Lost from the word go, nevertheless Sam chuckled, his arms firm around her waist as he lifted her completely off her feet, capturing her mouth easily with his own. "Happy Christmukkah, Sadira," he murmured against her mouth, causing a breathy sigh from his girlfriend as she struggled to get a real kiss out of him.

Rhiannon giggled, allowing him to distract her from her rambling as she lost herself in the familiar motions of his lips against hers. Her fingers sliced through the longish strands of his hair, holding him still as they kissed. Taylor yawned, before reaching out to poke at her best friends continually. "Come on, guys, The Kirsten said to be home by six o'clock, and it's like five minutes till already. And you know as well I do, we should all just . . . "

Breaking apart, Sam and Rhiannon joined Taylor in reciting, "Obey The Kirsten."

Sam chuckled, swiping Rhiannon's backpack right off her shoulder and looping his free arm around her waist. "We know, Tay. Lead the way, huh?"

Taylor rolled her eyes, with a fond chuckle, as she looped her arm through Rhiannon's elbow and dragged her two friends out of the auditorium. The three spent the night playing games with their family, the gifts between them small but meaningful. Sam gave Rhiannon and Taylor matching chain link bracelets, with the intent to add charms to them as Christmukkah continued to progress, as well as gifting his brother with a complete set of AC/DC albums in mint condition. ("Dude, you're like my favorite brother!" had been Dean's happy cheer, his fingers running over the packaging as though there was gold inside. Sam had leaned back in his chair, mimicking Dean's exuberant tone as he mocked, "Dude, I'm like your only brother!" The teasing had earned him a cuff to the back of his head, after which a friendly pillow fight had ensued between the two brothers, Taylor, Rhiannon, Ryan and Seth. Naturally, the trio referred to widely as The Geek Squad had claimed victory.) Rhiannon had given Sam a leather-bound journal so that he would be able to at least tell someone about everything that he couldn't seem to tell her and Taylor had given him a fancy fountain pen that had his name written in calligraphy along the side to go with it. It had come as no surprise to anyone when Taylor and Rhiannon had given each other the exact same present; matching necklaces from Tiffany's with their names in sparkling diamond letters.

The next night, Sam and Dean met Kirsten and Sandy in front of the auditorium. Glancing at his watch, Sam frowned darkly and asked, "Where're Ryan and Seth? I thought they were coming."

"There was some problem, with Marissa, and they went to go take care of it. Seth said they'd be here. They're probably just running a little late," Kirsten assured the younger Winchester.

Two hours later, and the Cohen boys were still running late. And Sam was furious.

Rhiannon was fighting valiantly to hide her tears, but Sam could see how deeply the hurt ran that neither of her brothers had shown up to the opening night of her play. Dean, used to quiet younger siblings who never asked for anything but who always needed to be loved, saw the tears too and volunteered to take Rhiannon and Taylor out for ice cream at a Cold Stone Creamery to celebrate the success of their opening night, before meeting up with the rest of the Cohens at their home for the second night of Christmukkah. Realizing that Rhiannon just needed to be fiercely loved for awhile, the consent from Sandy was both fierce and instantaneous.

They arrived at the Impala and Sam slapped his forehead as though something had just occurred to him. "Tay, what about your car?"

Taylor bit her lower lip. "Fiddlesticks. I completely forgot about the car."

Taking a deep breath, Sam held out his hand. "Give me the keys. I'll take it to the Cohens place and meet you there."

"Why don't I just take it? It's my car," Taylor reminded her best male friend, one slender eyebrow cocked as she watched her best friend with suspicion.

"Well, cause I was an idiot and forgot to buy my lady flowers," Sam remarked sheepishly.

Dean's eyes cut to his brother sharply, narrowing at the statement. Neither of the girls knew it but both brothers had each bought the girls bouquets of their favorite flowers, which were currently in hiding back at the Cohen home. Knowing his brother's thoughts, Sam met his brother's eyes head-on. Taylor, meanwhile, was completely oblivious to the interplay between the two and nodded, digging her keys out of her purse. "We'll pick you from the house then. Be careful."

"I will. I'll see you guys soon. Any flower you'd prefer, Sadira?"

Rhiannon shook her head, her eyes watery with tears as she moved to wrap her arms around his waist. "Whatever you want to get me is fine by me."

Bending his head, Sam kissed her sweetly. "I'm sorry about your brothers, Sadira."

Rhiannon shook her head sharply, tears welling up past her defenses. Knowing better than to push that train of thought, Sam kissed her again and assisted her into the backseat of the Impala. "I'll meet you guys at the house," he repeated, before jogging toward Taylor's BMW.

Knowing his brother well enough to know that he was up to something, for the first time in his life, Dean followed the speed limit perfectly and took a circuitous and roundabout route back to the Cohens'. So lost in her misery, a teary-eyed Rhiannon didn't notice and neither did a worried Taylor, who had twisted herself completely around in the front seat, taking it upon herself to try and cheer up her best friend.

Sam arrived at the Cohens before his brother and came storming into the house, his green-hazel eyes blazing in his head. Kirsten and Sandy were in the kitchen with their sons, and Kirsten was letting her two sons have it. "I can't believe you would do this to your sister!? Marissa is part of this family, that much is true, but Rhiannon is your sister and Marissa's problems should never come before your sister's accomplishments! Do you know how hard it was for her to get up on that stage and do what she did? And neither of you even showed up! You've broken a promise to her, and if she forgives you for it, it'll be more than you deserve."

"She'll forgive them, but I never will," Sam growled from where he stood leaning against the entryway into the kitchen.

Kirsten glanced back over her shoulder. "I thought you and Dean were treating the girls to ice cream?"

"They're meeting me here. Taylor drove her car to Harbor so I drove it here."

"Yeah? And what excuse did you give for that?"

"I forgot to buy her flowers," Sam replied, with a quirk of his lips as he moved deeper into the kitchen and pulled the bouquet of calla lillies and purple orchids out of the refrigerator.

"You've had those flowers on order for nearly a week, Sam," Sandy reminded the teenager with a small smile. "And Dean left those roses here for Taylor early this morning, before either of the girls were even contemplating waking up."

"I know. I lied." Sam confessed, his tone brittle old and matter of fact. "I needed to beat them back here. I needed to talk to Ryan and Seth."

Ryan flinched lightly at the tone, recognizing it as the one that usually preluded a lambasting of one of Dean's more inane ideas. "I'm sorry Sam."

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to," Sam remarked coldly, his usually warm eyes mimicking the temperature of a pair of ice chips. "She is in tears! When I asked her what kind of flowers she wanted – not like I didn't already know she wanted calla lillies and orchids, but still – she just shrugged like it didn't matter. She loves it when I buy her flowers; she gets all girly at the very idea. And she just shrugged! You both hurt her deeply, and I will never forgive either of you for it."

Dean's voice yelled from the foyer then. "Hey Geek-boy! Get your ass in gear! Bring the flowers and let's go. Taylor's been trying to turn off the waterworks the whole way here and I'm about to go batshit crazy. I don't do cryin' women! You seem to be the only one capable of making her smile when she's like this, so let's go!"

"I'm comin'!" Sam shouted in return, grabbing up both bouquets and dashing toward the doors with one last glare at Ryan and Seth.

The door shut behind the Winchester brothers and Kirsten glared at both of her sons. "Sam's right about one thing. She'll forgive you both, which – again – is more than you deserve, but she will. Still if I was you, I'd spend the rest of Christmukkah groveling at your sister's feet, just to be on the safe side. At her beck and call would be a good place to start."

Rounding on her heel, Kirsten left the kitchen, her Jimmy Choo heels clicking ominously against the tile floor. Ryan was already feeling guilty, and the soft slump of Seth's shoulders were a pretty clear indication of the fact that he too felt like a heel, but Sandy's words really drove it home. He looked between these two boys he loved like sons and sighed. "I cannot even begin to tell you how deeply disappointed I am in you both."

The sound of Sandy's shoes on the tile weren't nearly as pronounced as Kirsten's, but the sound of them still made Ryan feel like a heel. Crossing his arms on top of the island, Ryan dropped his head onto them. Seth's teeth were worrying at his lower lip as he watched his best friend slash brother think. "Now, I think, would be the time to reevaluate our relationships with Marissa."

Ryan groaned deep in his throat, a truly wretched sound that made him sound like he was dying. Looking up at his foster brother with a pair of icy blue eyes, Ryan draled lazily, "You don't say."

Unknown to either boy, their problems with Marissa had only just begun. His name was Oliver Trask, and he would have Marissa Cooper . . . willingly or not.


	7. A New Year

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it.

Summary: Ryan decides he needs to really earn his sister's forgiveness, Hailey's back, Taylor's overprotective of Rhiannon, and Sam & Rhiannon spend the night together. Enjoy!

Chapter 7

It had only been a week since the last day of Christmukkah, and Ryan was sure he was in hell. Hailey Nichol, Kirsten's younger sister, had arrived home from wherever she had been, and Ryan had found himself sleeping on the surprisingly uncomfortable couch for an unreasonably miserable night, until Kirsten had set her sister straight, her home to rights and reestablished Ryan in the pool house. Of course, Crazy Hailey was not the only irritation Ryan was dealing with these days.

The most persistent irritant was in the form of the girl Harbor High called "Terrible Taylor."

The loyal auburn-haired girl had taken up an almost permanent residence at Rhiannon's side, chasing off both Cohen boys continually, armed with little more than an impressive right hook and strong-willed determination. When the two girls were home, they were locked away in Rhiannon's room. And when they weren't home, both girls could be found in the company of either one or the other of the two Winchester sons.

It was the morning of New Year's Eve and Ryan was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling of the pool house, trying to come up with a plan that would separate his sister from her erstwhile protectors, even if it was only for a second or twenty. Seth knocked on the door, before entering the room. "Hey man. Still trying to come up with a way to get Rhiannon alone?"

"And failing miserably. The only plan I can seem to come up with that has any merit at all is locking Taylor in a closet. But that still leaves her bodyguards, the Winchester brothers."

"Well, you'll have one less Winchester to worry about. I just overheard a conversation between Dean and Taylor. His father's going away on a job, and he's taking Dean with him. They'll be gone for a week, maybe more."

"So that leaves Sam, her fiercely over-protective, Scottish terrier of a boyfriend. Oh sure. That'll be a piece of cake!" Ryan snapped, slamming his head back hard against the headboard. Seeing that Ryan had obviously miscalculated the force of his movement, even Seth winced at the loud crack that came as a result.

Reaching up, Ryan rubbed distractedly at the back of his head. "This is ridiculous! She's my sister! My twin! Surely I should have some brotherly rights!"

"Have you ever considered just asking Rhiannon if you can talk to her?" Seth asked, his tone and posture suggesting how well he thought that idea was likely to work.

Ryan whipped his head around to stare at his best friend, and narrowed his eyes at him. "Seth . . . you're brilliant!"

Shoving himself to his feet, Ryan dashed toward the pool house door and ran at full speed toward the house. Rhiannon and Taylor were in the kitchen, laughing and chatting as they fixed what looked like a three course meal for two. Taylor went silent and cold, her pretty eyes fierce as she glared at him. "What do you want, Atwood?" she asked, her tone unfailingly polite.

Ryan cringed but kept his eyes locked on his sister's. "Stardust . . . please?"

Rhiannon nibbled on her lower lip, her Prussian blue eyes meeting those of her brother's. Whatever she saw in his face made one corner of her mouth quirk upwards. Turning to her best friend, she clasped Taylor's hand gently. "Can you leave us alone for just a second, Tay?"

"Star . . . " Taylor began, the protest broken off by Rhiannon's tiny smile.

"Please, Tay? Regardless of anything, my brother should have the opportunity to plead his case and apologize for his transgressions. Even Dad's clients are given that privilege. Should I then refuse to allow my own brother, my twin whom I love, the same?"

Taylor nodded curtly, getting up in Ryan's face and shaking one slender, well manicured finger under his nose. "You hurt her, Ryan Atwood, and you will answer first to me and then to Sam. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am," Ryan answered solemnly, knowing that she wasn't just throwing out a random threat. No, Taylor meant every word. And an evening in the ER after a fight with Sam Winchester was really not how he wanted to spend the holiday.

Taylor hugged her best friend lightly, murmuring quietly, "I'll go keep an eye out for Sam. He should be here to pick you up in a couple minutes."

"Thanks Tay."

Both Atwood Twins waited until the kitchen was empty but for them, before Ryan took a deep breath. "You and Sam have a date tonight?"

"Mom and Dad gave me permission to spend the night at Sam's house. It's just going to be us, but Mom says she trusts us."

"Sam's a good guy. He genuinely adores you. I'm glad you found someone like him."

"Thank you, Ryan. That means a lot, especially coming from you," Rhiannon confessed, a wide smile on her lips.

There was a long awkward pause, as Ryan struggled to find the words he wanted to say. "Stardust, I . . . "

Seeing his discomfort, Rhiannon gave her brother a tiny smile, the understanding smile she always used when either Trey or Ryan had done something they were trying to apologize for. "I forgive you, Ryan."

Ryan shook his head, frowning angrily. "You shouldn't have had to, baby sister. You are my twin sister. We have shared everything since we were babies. You have forgiven me for every little infraction I have perpetrated against you always and I have taken care of you as best I could for as long as I can remember. I should have been there. I should have told Marissa to call someone else to solve her problems and been there, but I didn't and I wasn't and I'm sorry. Thank you for your forgiveness, but this time, Sis, I need to earn it first, for my own sake."

Rhiannon's smile widened as she came around the edge of the island and wrapped her arms around her brother, hugging him fiercely. "You just did. But if you think you need to do more, I'll let you. I love you, Ry; you are my twin brother and I love you. When you're okay with yourself again and you're ready to accept my forgiveness, it'll be here waiting for you. Okay?"

He nodded, his arms tight around her waist as he buried his face into her shoulder and held her as close to him as he could manage. "I love you, Rhiannon, and I will make this up to you, I promise."

"I know, and I believe you," she replied, her fingers soft and familiar in his hair as she combed them through his hair.

Taylor knocked on the paneling into the kitchen at that moment. "Hey, Star, I hate to interrupt, but Sam's in the foyer."

Rhiannon nodded, as the twins disengaged themselves from each other. Turning to her best friend, Rhiannon spoke. "Could you show him where I stashed my bag and let him know I'll be right there, Tay?"

"Sure," Taylor agreed, before disappearing once again.

Moving quickly, Rhiannon began to pack up the food into a picnic basket at her feet. Ryan jumped up onto the counter out of the way and inquired, "What's all that about?"

"Sam's taking me to see the fireworks tonight and we're going to have a picnic under the stars," she explained, tucking away the last bits before latching the ends securely. Turning to her brother, she reached up a tiny hand to cup his cheek. "Womb to tomb, big brother."

Ryan's much larger hand covered hers and trapped it to his cheek, "Birth to earth, baby sister."

Sam appeared into the doorway then, a small, rueful smile on his face as he watched his girlfriend forgive her brother. "Sadira? You ready to go?"

"Yep. If you could just grab the picnic basket for me, Sam, we'll be all set."

Sam nodded, coming into the room and swinging the basket up off the floor. Rhiannon hugged her brother tightly one more time, before she took her boyfriend's hand and let him lead her from the room. Pausing at the doorway, Rhiannon reminded her brother, "Marissa's new friend Oliver is holding that party tonight. You should go and have some fun."

Ryan nodded with a careless shrug, though he didn't say anything. Rhiannon tried again, "Marissa might be there."

That earned a reply. "She will. She told me she was going."

She smiled lightly, "All right then; take Seth and go have some fun. Mom and Dad are some party that Aunt Hailey told them about tonight, and I don't want you to spend the holiday alone."

"I'll think about it," he promised, his heels bumping lightly against the cupboards under him.

Rhiannon nodded, blowing him one last kiss. "Love you big brother. Happy New Year's."

"Happy New Year's, Stardust," Ryan replied, before Sam tugged lightly on Rhiannon's hand and the two were gone.

Several hours later, Ryan was still in the house, reading the book his sister had given him for Christmukkah about ancient Roman architecture, when there was a knock at the front door. Frowning at the interruption, Ryan glanced at his watch to check the time. It was around 8:30 in the evening and he groaned. Believing it to be Marissa – who had been calling every ten minutes for the last three hours and who he had been stubbornly ignoring since everything had gone down with his sister's play – he dragged his feet to the front door. "Go away, Rissa!" he snapped, pulling the door open.

His jaw dropped at the sight of the people standing on his foster parents' porch. "You're not Marissa," he remarked stupidly, staring at the crowd assembled outside the door.

"No shit, dude," came one voice, before the young guy at the front shushed the voice impatiently. Turning back to Ryan, he inquired, "Is this where the house party's at?"

"Uh . . . no," came Ryan's answer, though a perky voice behind him piped up to override his denial. "Absolutely! Come on in, everybody!"

Ryan rounded on Hailey, his eyes going wide. "Hailey! What the hell are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm throwing a party!"

"Kirsten and Sandy are going to freak out! You can't throw a party here without their permission!"

Hailey rolled her eyes and waved her friends into the house, completely ignoring her older sister's ward. As Ryan watched the people swarm into the house, his only thought was, "Thank God that Stardust isn't here. All of these people would freak her out."

At the park, Sam and Rhiannon were walking together to try and find a good viewing spot for the fireworks. Sam was carrying the picnic basket and Rhiannon hugged the blanket to her chest, their joined hands swinging lightly between them. "Are you happy, Sadira?"

Rhiannon giggled, looking up at her boyfriend with wide blue eyes. "I could not be happier, Sam. Taylor and I are best friends, and I adore Dean completely. And best of all, I have you, the sweetest, gentlest, most charmingly awesome guy a girl could ever hope for."

"Yeah?" Sam inquired, swinging her around to pull her into his arms. "Charmingly awesome, huh?"

Rhiannon giggled, nodding as she looked up the nearly 12 twelve inch difference between their faces. "Uh-huh."

Sam bent his head and kissed her, the picnic basket dropping to the ground with a soft thud as his hand came up to cup her cheek in his palm. "I am not the real catch, Rhiannon. You might be surprised by this, but you are the real prize here."

A blush swept like wildfire over her cheeks and she shook her head. "No I'm not."

"Yes you are. You are sweet and honest and beautiful and forgiving and loyal and smart. You are everything I want, Rhiannon, everything I ever needed." Overhead, the fireworks began and Sam watched the colors shine briefly over her upturned face and flash brightly in her eyes. "I love you."

Rhiannon's eyes went even wider and she moved to speak. Sam lifted a hand, pressing his fingers to her lips, shaking his head. "No, I don't want to hear it right now. Tell me another time. I just wanted you to know that I love you and that I would do anything to make you happy."

She smiled up at him, her lips trembling in response to the swell of her heart in her chest. Going up on tiptoes, she caught his lips with hers, trying to tell him everything he wouldn't let her say out loud. Resting her forehead against his chin, she allowed him to hold her close, her words floating softly through the air. "Sam . . . I am happy."

Sam smiled brightly, pressing a sweet kiss to her forehead. "Then my work here is done. Come on, help me spread out the blanket. We're gonna miss the whole show," he teased, releasing her and helping her spread out the quilt that Kirsten had lent them.

Settling onto the blanket, Rhiannon burrowed back into her boyfriend happily as he leaned back on one hand, the fingers of his free hand playing idly over her hair. The two watched the fireworks in silence, with Rhiannon exclaiming every once in awhile over a particularly beautiful display. It was a perfect night, and neither of them had any desire to spoil it.

Meanwhile, Ryan was furious. Hailey had tricked him and had locked him into his own room, so that she wouldn't have to listen to his speeches about Kirsten and Sandy's disappointment. He would willingly admit that he'd engaged in a lot of stunts when he was younger, but he'd never needed to know how to pick a lock. Pouting on his bed, he resolved to ask Sam to teach him. Grunting miserably as another gorgeous – if completely wasted – girl pressed against the window, teasing him with his inability to get close to her. Rolling his eyes, he got up and started to close all the blinds. If he had to be stuck in his room, the least he could do would be to get some sleep.

Rhiannon and Sam came back to the Cohen house early the next morning. Rhiannon's eyes flashed wide as she opened the door to the sight of an utterly trashed living room. Whistling under his breath, Sam muttered under his breath, "Wow . . . what happened here?"

Kirsten's voice was dry and acerbic as she replied, "Hailey happened. How was the evening, you two? Did you have fun?"

"The fireworks were amazing. And dinner was to die for. All in all, it was an absolutely magical evening," Rhiannon gushed, clapping her hands happily and twirling on her toes, making the circle skirt she was wearing spin out around her.

Both Sam and Kirsten smiled at her, delighted to see her so happy. "That's good. I'm glad you two had fun," Kirsten sighed, obviously relieved as she hugged first Rhiannon and then Sam. "Your brother, on the other hand, did not. Hailey locked him in the pool house, and in the midst of the debauchery last night, the key got lost. Sam, would you mind?"

Sam smiled and shook his head. "Nah. Do you have a couple paper-clips?"

"In Sandy's office," Kirsten said, with a sigh. "Thank you, Sam."

Sam gave her his shy, half-smile and jogged toward Sandy's office in search of a couple paper-clips. Rhiannon wrapped her arm around her mother's waist as the two strode easily through the house, her head resting contently against her mom's shoulder. "You know, Mom, it surprises me how calm you are about the fact that Sam knows how to pick the locks on the pool house doors."

"Having met John Winchester, I find it hard to believe that either of his sons have had anything less than thorough training in the less than legal arts. However, both boys have good hearts. I don't worry that either of them will use that knowledge against me or this family," Kirsten explained, kissing her daughter's forehead. "And you? Does it worry you the things that Sam can do?"

Rhiannon giggled lightly, "Lockpicking requires a gentle touch. And that's all I'm going to say about that."

Kirsten smiled at the double entendre in her words, hugging her tightly. "Just promise me that when you and Sam do finally take that step, you'll be careful."

Both women's eyes were very blue as they locked. The younger smiled up at the elder and nodded, "I promise, Mom."

"That's all I ask. Go on. Taylor's in the den, and is no doubt dying to know how last night went."

Rhiannon grinned and giggled, before scampering toward the den. "Tay! You'll never believe what happened last night!" she called, her voice rebounding happily off the rafters.

Kirsten moved to the kitchen, watching through the patio doors as Sam picked the lock, steadfastly ignoring Seth's constant chatter. Ryan stood on the other side of the doors, arms folded and eyes serious as he watched Sam work his magic. All of a sudden, there was a flash of a grin and the door popped open. Ryan returned the smile, clasping the taller boy on the shoulder, before the two walked with Seth back toward the house. Taking a deep breath, Kirsten mused on life and all of its curiosities, before pouring herself a cup of coffee and settling back on the couch in the living room with her husband to contemplate the mess and simply enjoy the day.


	8. The Rivals

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it.

AN: This is a huge chapter – 25 pages – but it's important so please don't skip over anything.

Summary: Oliver causes trouble for Ryan and Rhiannon, Ryan gets suspended, The Geek Squad prepares for Dean's 21st birthday, Sam and Ryan have a soccer tournament in Los Angeles, and Taylor makes her move on Dean . . . culminating in Dean's move on Taylor.

Enjoy!

Chapter 8

It took a month for the situation to go from bad to worse. First Marissa managed to weasel her way back into Ryan's good graces; she'd begged and pleaded and generally made such a nuisance of herself that even Rhiannon had begged her twin to just take her back if it would mean that she'd shut up. Next came the trip to a Rooney concert that Marissa had dragged Ryan to. Oliver had been there and Ryan had felt the jealousy come out to eat him again. He and Marissa were on rocky straits, but Marissa was still his girlfriend regardless. The whole trip had left him with a sour taste in his mouth that had left him wondering where he truly stood within the Circle of Four that he, Seth, Summer and Marissa had formed when he and Rhiannon had first come to town. As for Rhiannon, she had watched Ryan mope around the house after the concert, her lower lip between her teeth, as she worried about what great idea Oliver would come up with to destroy Ryan next.

Next was the equally disastrous golfing trip to the Links. Oliver had invited Rhiannon, Taylor, Seth, Summer and Marissa on a golfing trip to Palm Springs. Surprisingly, Marissa hadn't had a problem with her boyfriend not being invited along. Rhiannon, however, had refused to go without her brother and her boyfriend, forcing Oliver to extend reluctant invitations to the two boys. Oliver's reasons for "forgetting to invite" the two became glaringly obvious almost as soon as the trip got underway. His girlfriend's all-consuming anxiety over displays of anger was the only reason Sam kept his temper when Oliver decided to transfer his attentions from an oblivious Marissa to an uneasy Rhiannon. Oliver had flattered her endlessly, touched her constantly and had even been the cause of a mild panic attack when he'd spent an hour crowding her, under the guise of teaching her to swing a club.

The only good thing to come out of the trip was the fact that Sam and Rhiannon had spent a glorious weekend together at a beautiful golf resort, where Kirsten had booked them a room to share. Rhiannon had slept – just slept – in the warm embrace of her boyfriend and had never felt safer than she had felt those too short nights. The perfect weekend had ended when Oliver had swallowed a handful of pills – or so he claimed – and Ryan had informed Marissa of his doubts on the manner. In typical spoiled Marissa fashion, she had essentially announced that her allegiance lay with her new friend . . . and not her boyfriend.

Next thing the Atwood Twins knew, Oliver had transferred from Pacific High and was attending Harbor. He was in at least four of Rhiannon's classes, and had even managed to score a seat close to her in two of them. And if that wasn't bad enough, Ryan had gotten into a fight with Oliver during school hours. Except for the fact that Sam had been the one to pull Ryan off of the other boy, Rhiannon would never have believed it. Taylor had come to her an hour later and confided that she'd overheard the entire conversation between the two boys that had sent Ryan off the deep end. Oliver had confessed that Marissa had been the original target of his obsession, but now he had plans on having Rhiannon for himself, as soon as he could "chase the boyfriend off." Oliver's sick intentions toward his sister had been the real reason Ryan had flipped out, not Oliver's plans for Marissa.

Rhiannon had tiptoed past her parents and into the pool house later that night to see her brother. She'd shared with him as much as she knew, before she'd elicited a promise that he would keep his nose clean and let his friends figure out what Oliver was up to. Except for an adoring Seth and an oblivious Marissa, most of Ryan's friends didn't like Oliver and were on Ryan's side of the struggle between the two rivals. A lot of good that promise had done.

Less than a week later, and here they were . . . again. Ryan was in trouble . . . again. Because of Oliver . . . again.

Rhiannon was careful to stay just out of sight of the dining room table, as her parents laid into her brother for his most recent, stupid stunt. It was bad enough that he'd gotten into a fight with Oliver the week before – Rhiannon would never admit it out loud but she was thankful the fight had, at least for the moment, ended her brother's relationship with Marissa – but breaking into the records room at Harbor was just the icing on the cake. As usual, Ryan was refusing to talk, offering his foster parents little in the way of reasons. From what she was hearing, they didn't even know the reason for Ryan's paranoia over the boy was Oliver's obsession with Rhiannon. Sometimes, Rhiannon mused, her twin was too close-mouthed for his own good.

"I can't ground you. I can't chain you to the wall. You want to go after that Oliver kid?? Go ahead. The door's open. But if you want to stay . . . if you really want to be apart of this family, you're not gonna go anywhere, or do anything or see anyone, unless Kirsten and I say it's okay. That's the deal. Take it or leave it." Sandy's voice was sad, but Rhiannon could hear the steely resolve in his voice as he effectively grounded Ryan for the entirety of his suspension from Harbor. Rhiannon winced, before scampering out of hearing range at the sound of the kitchen chairs scraping against the tile floor.

Kirsten found Rhiannon engrossed in a book in the den, her eyes skimming over the page in the same haphazard manner in which Rhiannon always read. But this time something was off. "Stardust, honey, your book is upside down," Kirsten admonished lightly, causing a deep blush from her daughter as she turned the book right side up. Sitting on the armchair kitty-corner, Kirsten inquired fondly, "Don't you have any plans with Sam or Taylor?"

"Taylor's cramming for our AP Calculus test tomorrow, and Dean got . . . " – there was another one of those just noticeable pauses that Kirsten always knew meant that her daughter was getting ready to tell a lie to cover for the Winchesters and whatever job it was that John and Dean were involved in – " . . . sick so Sam's sticking around the house for awhile until Dean's on his feet again. It's his 21st birthday in a few days, and the three of us planned to do something to make the day special for him, so he needs to get well as soon as possible."

While Kirsten was positive that Rhiannon herself didn't know what it was the Winchesters did for a living, she was just as positive that Sam had asked her to lie about it for them. Either way, she wasn't in the mood to dispute the validity of her daughter's excuse. Leaning back in her chair, she mused absently, "I'm going to assume that you heard the talk your father and I had with Ryan?"

Rhiannon was silent as she nodded, her fingers fiddling with the page corners of her book. Kirsten recognized the mannerism as one her daughter engaged in when she was silently disapproving of something. Not knowing the reason for Ryan's acting out, Kirsten assumed Rhiannon disapproved of her brother's actions. Shifting from the chair in order to plop down onto the couch beside her, Kirsten wrapped an arm around the girl's shoulders and tried to explain her and Sandy's tack with Ryan. "Oh, Stardust, I wish I knew what to say to make this better. Ryan's in real trouble this time, honey. There's nothing else that Sandy and I can do. If he won't talk to us – if he won't come to us for help – we have to go by what we do know. And all we know is what Dr. Kim is telling us. Understand?"

"It's harder for him to accept parents than it is for me. He was the parent. I was the one who needed parenting. Just give him some time," Rhiannon begged, her Prussian blue eyes earnest as she pleaded her brother's case.

"We're trying, honey, but Ryan's not exactly making it easy for us." Leaning over, she pressed a gentle kiss to his temple. "Why don't you go talk to him? Sandy and I sent him to the pool house to get started on the homework he's going to be missing out on while he's suspended."

Rhiannon nodded, pushing herself to her feet. Bending, she pressed a light kiss to her foster mom's cheek, before running in that skittish, scampering way of hers towards the back door. Ryan lay sprawled on his bed, his arms crossed over his eyes, when Rhiannon came into the pool house. "Knock knock," she murmured, her eyes sympathetic as she watched her brother sulk.

Turning his head to the door, he gave her a weary grin. Pushing himself up onto his elbows, he gestured for his sister to come in. "Hey Stardust. What's up?"

"You okay?" she asked, her eyes watching him carefully for any signs of a lie.

There was a sigh, before Ryan grunted, "I'm grounded. I've never been grounded. It's gonna take some getting used to."

"We've never had real parents either. Everything's gonna take some 'getting used to'," Rhiannon reminded her brother, coming to sit beside him on the bed.

Gripping her wrist gently, Ryan dragged her down beside him. Rhiannon gave her shy half-smile, burrowing into her brother's side as they laid together on the bed. "Do you think I belong here, Stardust? Or am I just proving them all right?"

"You belong with me. And I belong here," was Rhiannon's quiet answer.

Ryan smiled down at his sister, pressing a tender kiss to the top of her sun-gilt head. "You do belong here, sis. You shine in this place. I just don't know if I do. I can't seem to do anything right. I'm always messing up."

Rolling, Rhiannon rested her chin on his chest. "I believe you, about Oliver. And I believe that you can do well here. You just have to let other people help you. Mom and Dad can't help you, can't understand, if you don't talk to them."

"That's part of the problem. I don't know if I can talk to them. I'm so used to having to take care of my own problems."

Rhiannon stayed quiet; there was nothing she could say to that. "I love you, Ry."

"I love you too, Stardust. Promise me you'll stay away from Oliver tomorrow at school? I don't want him to get too close to you."

Rhiannon giggled, tilting her head back as she smiled up at her brother. "I solemnly swear that I will stick to Sam like glue. Oliver may be in four of my classes, but Sam's in three of the same four classes. And I always eat with Sam and Tay. There's nothing to worry about, Ryan, I promise."

"I don't trust him not to take advantage of my absence."

"If you can't trust Oliver – which I don't blame you for, by the way – can you at least trust Sam to take care of me in your absence? If you'll recall, Sam doesn't like Oliver either. And Luke's ready at a moment's scream to deck the punk-ass rich kid in the mouth."

Ryan chuckled, as he kissed his sister's head again. "He is your complete devotee. I actually think Luke might have a crush on you."

Rhiannon snorted as she rolled her eyes. "Not interested."

"Thank God. I don't know if I'd be okay with you dating Marissa's ex. I like Sam for you; he adores you completely and you've felt comfortable with him since the beginning. I can't say the same about your first meeting with Luke."

Remembering the near panic attack that had nearly dragged her under at her first meeting with Luke and his water polo buddies, Rhiannon grimaced. "Did you have to remind me about that? I could have gone the rest of me life without remembering that! That's when Marissa and her cronies really started to dig their claws into me."

Ryan took a deep breath. "Did I ever apologize for getting involved with her?"

"You did, but you refused to accept my forgiveness as I recall," Rhiannon teased, glancing toward the clock with a heavy sigh. "How long are you suspended for?"

"Two weeks."

Rhiannon grimaced. "That sucks."

"No kidding." Hugging her tighter for a second, Ryan released her. "It's late, Stardust, and unlike me, you have school in the morning. Get some sleep and I'll see you tomorrow afternoon."

"I love you, big bro. Birth to earth."

"I love you too, baby sis. Womb to tomb," he replied, finishing the quote that the siblings had stolen from Rhiannon's favorite movie, West Side Story, when they were kids. "Good night, Rhiannon."

Rhiannon pressed a quick kiss to her brother's cheek, before scrambling off the bed and toward the door. "Good night, Ryan," came her answering words as she disappeared from the pool house.

Taylor picked her up from the house the next morning, a grim look on her face. "Are you ready for this?"

"To be potentially accosted by Oliver at every turn? Not really."

"What did Ryan say?"

"To stay away from him as much as I could." Taking a deep breath, Rhiannon determinedly changed the subject. "So Dean's birthday is next week. Is everything set?"

"I took care of the tickets. Sam was supposed to take care of the dinner plans, and you were coordinating the gift you and Sam were getting him."

"I got mine and Sam's gift all set. It's sitting, wrapped and ready to go, in my room. And Sam mentioned yesterday that he'd made the reservations already, so dinner's all set too. What about your gift?"

Taylor turned a charmingly rosy color, causing a wide grin to creep across Rhiannon's face. "I've got it."

"What is that on your cheeks? Taylor Anne Townsend . . . is _that_ a _**blush**_!? There's no way! Was Sam right? Do you have a crush on Dean Winchester?"

"Shut up!" Taylor ordered, swinging the car into the parking lot at Harbor.

"Goodness gracious, give the dog a bone! You do!" Rhiannon squealed, her grin splitting her face and her eyes sparkling with what could only be called glee. "When did this happen? Why didn't I know before now? And most importantly, how come _Sam _knew _**first**_!?"

"Sam and I had a talk about it back during Christmukkah. Unfortunately, your boyfriend is a lot more perceptive that I wanted him to be. It's not quite the conspiracy that you're thinking it is," Taylor insisted, as the two teenagers climbed out of the BMW and headed toward the front of the school where Sam would be waiting, as usual, for them to join him.

Rhiannon grinned at the sight of her boyfriend sitting on the very same brick wall he had perched on their very first day together at Harbor. Going up on tiptoes so as to be seen over the heads of some of their fellow students, Rhiannon waved at him exuberantly. Sam smiled back at her tenderly, lifting one hand to return the wave. "So what does Sam think about you getting together with Dean?"

"He's okay with it," Taylor replied, as they came alongside the Winchester brother in question.

"I'm okay with what?" Sam inquired, cocking an eyebrow at the two of them.

"Me getting together with Dean," Taylor replied, hugging her best friend quickly before Sam and Rhiannon exchanged their usual good morning kiss.

Sam narrowed his eyes at his girlfriend and his best friend, inquiring warily. "What brought this on?"

"We were talking about Dean's birthday, and Taylor blushed."

"Naturally that meant I had a crush," Taylor remarked with a roll of her eyes. "And since it's true, I can't exactly refute it. God knows I'm a terrible liar."

"No kidding," came simultaneous muttering from the couple.

Taylor narrowed her eyes at them, growling low under her breath, "Very funny, the both of you."

Sam and Rhiannon grinned at her, as the girls looped arms and headed into the room. "So is Operation Birthday all set?"

Sam nodded silently, his advantage of being tall helping him to pick out Oliver in the crowd and subtly steering the three of them on a different route. Rhiannon frowned, her head craning back to look up at her boyfriend. "Sam, class is back the other way."

"So is Oliver," came his quiet reply. Both girls frowned at the knowledge and picked up their pace, neither of them wanting to come into contact with the boy making Ryan's life miserable.

By lunch, Rhiannon had successfully managed to avoid Oliver for most of the morning. She ditched the one class they had together that Sam wasn't in, and took a seat in a corner, with Sam and Taylor bracketing her in the other three. By lunch, Oliver was back to seducing Marissa, though his black eyes followed Rhiannon and her friends as the three moved to their usual table in the quad. She sat down next to Sam, unpacking their lunch as she unconsciously tucked herself as tightly against his side as she could. "He's making me nervous," she whimpered, ducking her head and trying to make herself invisible.

Sam grabbed her hands, his thumbs soothing as they stroked over the skin of her hands. "You can't let him bother you, Sadira. He's not worth your regard."

"I know that, I just . . . every time I turn around, there he is . . . staring at me." Taking a deep breath, she focused her attention on setting out their lunch, before chirping happily, "So, what's the I hear about a soccer tournament coming up this weekend?"

Sam shrugged, slouching forward as he tried to distract his girlfriend. "It's not a big deal."

"Don't you dare say that!" Taylor burst out, her eyes going wide. "It is a big deal!" Turning to her best friend, Taylor explained the tournament, "The Harbor School's soccer team is one of the two best teams on the West Coast. As a result, they're going to Los Angeles this weekend to compete in a national tournament, to decide who the National Champion is."

Rhiannon's eyes were very wide as she rounded on her sheepish boyfriend. "Is that true?"

"It's really not a big deal," Sam insisted, picking absently at the corner of his sandwich. "We're gonna be gone the whole weekend, and I doubt anyone I know is even going to show up."

"What about me!?" Rhiannon squeaked, her eyes going wide. "What am I, chopped liver!? Sam, if you tell me about these things, I can go. Do my parents know about this?"

"Ryan's on the soccer team, so I imagine they do."

Rhiannon's eyes narrowed as she considered that. "Is Ryan still eligible to go? He was suspended, remember?"

"Coach got special permission from Dr. Kim so that Ryan could go, so I'm going to assume he's going to be playing this weekend."

"And I haven't heard about this from either of you!?" Rhiannon grumped, slouching. "I can't believe this! Sam . . . why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't think you'd be interested in going," Sam confessed quietly, glancing at his girlfriend from the corner of his eye.

"Sam! I have never missed a soccer game you've played in yet."

"There was also the fact that my father yelled at me when I told him about it. He insisted that the tournament was stupid and a waste of time and he was agreeing to keep me at this school so I got a good education . . . not so I could play sports."

"Your father is not me, Sam," Rhiannon reminded her boyfriend tartly, before narrowing her eyes curiously, "Does Dean know?"

"After Dad's reaction, I pretty much decided to keep it to myself."

"Well that answers that question. Taylor, call your boy. We're going to Los Angeles this weekend, to watch Sam kick national soccer butt."

Taylor rolled her eyes, even as she pulled out her phone. "Dean is not my boy."

"You want him to be, which is all that matters to me." Narrowing her eyes, Rhiannon continued, "Maybe we could celebrate Dean's birthday in Los Angeles. His birthday's Monday. It could be fun."

"Cancel the reservations and everything?"

"Come on, guys. Which would Dean enjoy more? Getting to sneak underage teenagers into some bar or club in Los Angeles, or having dinner at Newport's Arches? We'll still attend the concert – I mean how many times does Metallica actually go on tour, anyway? – but that's not till Tuesday night. It'll be fun!"

Sam chuckled, as he glanced at his best friend. "Sadira presents a good point."

"What about us? We're not 21 yet."

Sam laughed. "Let me take care of that. I can get a copy of Taylor's yearbook picture from last years edition, and I have Sadira's yearbook picture from this year in my wallet. By Friday afternoon ladies, you will be card-carrying 21 year olds."

"Fake IDs?" Taylor asked, nibbling on her lower lip. "What if we get caught? Carrying fake ID is a misdemeanor, Sam."

"My dad's IDs have never been caught out yet, and he's made a lot of them over the years, because of his job. Trust me; I'll handle getting us each a perfectly legit ID that says we're all over the age of 21. No one's going to catch us. I promise."

"If we go to jail Sam, and I can't get into an Ivy League school because of it, I'm going to be really put out. Deal?" Taylor insisted, shaking her finger under his nose.

Sam nodded, his eyes bright with the prospect of turning what had looked like a lonely weekend into the possibility of causing some decent mischief. "Deal. This weekend is going to be awesome!"

Rhiannon laughed, tucking herself tightly into her boyfriend's side, completely forgetting the black eyes that continued to sear into her back.

Friday afternoon rolled around faster than anyone had anticipated, and Rhiannon was packed and ready to go to Los Angeles. She'd told her parents about the tournament, and, while her father had expressed his concerns, Kirsten had nevertheless arranged for a pair of conjoining hotel rooms for Rhiannon, Taylor and Dean in the hotel where the soccer team would be staying. Sam and Ryan had been assigned to each other as roommates while at the tournament, and Rhiannon was looking forward to being able to climb into bed with her boyfriend for an entire weekend. Rhiannon and Taylor would be riding with Dean in the Impala, though Sam was being forced to ride with the rest of the team on the bus that was coming to Harbor to retrieve them.

Dean drove Ryan, Sam and the girls to Harbor to drop of the two players, fully intending to blow past the bus and beat them to Los Angeles. Ryan hugged his sister lightly, before joining Luke, Chip and his other friends from the team, all of whom had to crowd in and congratulate him on "kicking the freaky Trask kid's ass." Sam stood with his brother and girls, watching Ryan accept the accolades coming to him. "Well at least one good thing came out of Ryan kicking Oliver's ass. Ryan has quite the fan base," Sam mused, his arms tight around his girlfriend as the four watched the precedings.

Rhiannon rolled her eyes. "I still can't believe he did it!"

"I was there, Sadira; I was the only one who could pull Ryan off of Oliver. Your brother has some serious strength when he's lost in a rage blackout."

"He doesn't usually blackout like he did. That was actually the part that worried me most of all," Rhiannon muttered, leaning back against her boyfriend as they waited for the soccer coach to start calling the roll on his team and get them all onto the bus.

Just then Coach McConnell appeared, his team roster in his hands. "That would be my cue," Sam sighed, bending to haul up his ragged duffel bag.

"Not until he calls your name its not," Rhiannon insisted, her arms tight around his waist, unwilling to release him just yet.

"When I call your name, get your ass on the bus. If I call you twice, I'm gonna leave your sorry ass behind! And of course we start the call with our resident delinquent. Atwood, get your ass on this bus! And you had better be on your best behavior this weekend or Dr. Kim is going to have my ass," the Coach informed his player, narrowing his eyes at the tow-headed young striker. From where she stood off to the side, Rhiannon couldn't help her giggles as she watched her twin brother scramble to get onto the bus. "Avery! Benjamin! Carter! Daniels! Frederickson! Garroway! Hall, Jesse! Hall, Terry! Henries! Jackson! Jameson!" There was a pause as McConnell looked over at where Chip Jameson was macking on his girlfriend. "Chip! If I call your name one more time, I'm seriously going to leave your lovesick ass behind! Get on the bus!"

"Yes sir, Coach," Chip called back, kissing his girl once more before dashing onto the bus, bounding up the steps two at a time.

"Kennedy! Laramie! Matthews! Talman! Vaughn! Ward! And last but not least, Winchester!"

At the sound of his name, Sam bent to press a sweet kiss to Rhiannon's forehead, before reminding her, "I'll see you at the hotel in a few hours."

"Anything specific you want for dinner?"

"Give me time to think about it and I'll call you as soon as I have an idea. Deal?"

"Deal," Rhiannon promised, blowing her boyfriend a kiss before he turned and bounded up the stairs.

Collapsing into the seat near the back of the bus that Ryan had saved for him on the opposite of the aisle from him and Luke, Sam stretched out in the seat. Ryan smirked at his sister's boyfriend, teasing, "You miss her already, don't you?"

Slipping his headphones into his ears, Sam glanced over at Ryan with wide green-hazel eyes. "You have no idea," Sam confessed, a shy smile curving up one corner of his lips as he glanced over at his girlfriend's twin brother, before slouching back in his seat and folding his arms high over his chest.

An hour into the ride, Sam was flipping through a textbook, filling out what appeared to be a questionnaire or homework assignment of some kind. He was the only one sitting in his row, and Chip rotated completely around at the sound of pages flipping. The defenseman crossed his arms on the top of his chair, before reaching out and tugging lightly at the cord to Sam's headphones. Sam looked up at him, one eyebrow sliding up behind his bangs as he watched Chip through the hair in his eyes, a question apparent in the green-hazel orbs. "Can I help you with something?"

"What are you doing, man?"

"Homework," was all Sam said, turning his attention back to his answer sheet as his barely legible scrawl filled the tiny space designated for the answer.

"Dude, you really are the King of the Nerds," Chip scoffed, causing Sam to sigh heavily and drop his pen into his textbook to mark his page.

"Chip, do you need something or are you just trying to irritate me? Cause if you need something to contemplate, I can recall for you last year's fight in lurid detail."

At the blatant reminder of the way Sam had wiped the floor with Chip's face their freshman year, Chip's jaw tightened angrily, before he continued talking. "We're going to LA for the weekend and you brought your homework, dude. It's just a statement of fact. No need to get touchy."

"Chip, I don't have rich parents who can afford to pay my tuition. I'm attending the Harbor on scholarship. I don't have the luxury of fucking around in my classes, all the while knowing that Daddy dearest can just donate a new gym or something and I'll still graduate on time," Sam sneered, his eyes cold as he glared up at the other boy. Chip had always been one of Marissa Cooper's more erstwhile lackeys, pushing the older boy around and basically causing trouble for him, and for that reason alone, Sam was not in the mood to be charitable. Looking back down at his assignment, Sam continued working, before Chip's continued presence over his head registered. "What do you want Chip!?"

"Nothing!"

"Then leave me alone," Sam hissed, green-hazel eyes brittle and glittering as the 6 foot teen glared up at Chip through his bangs.

Chip's rowmate turned around then, joining Chip in watching the team's star center forward work on his homework. "Dude, what are you even doing?"

"Dual Enrollment Physics," Sam replied absently, filling in a blank, as he sketched out a rough illustration of the theory.

"Dual Enrollment? What are you? An egghead?" the other guy, who Sam only knew as Talman, inquired dumbly.

Sam rolled his eyes exasperatedly, even as he answered the inane question. "It's a college credit course. All of my classes are DE or AP classes. So are my girlfriend's."

One corner of Talman's mouth curved upward in a lecherous smirk as he remarked, "Now there's a conversation to have. What's it like to be dating the hottest girl at school? God, your girlfriend looks good enough to eat!" Looking over at Luke, he inquired, "You remember that Halloween costume she wore to your party? All that skin!"

Luke nodded silently, well remembering the brown leather gown that Rhiannon had worn. It was then that the male population of their high school had really started to pant after the pretty young blond. Talman nodded, a smile on his face as he too remembered the barely there costume, before turning his attention back on Sam. "You banged her yet?"

Ryan spoke up then, Prussian blue eyes blazing furiously as he snapped angrily at the guy, "Hey Talman! Shut up, man; that's my twin sister!"

Sam was calm, leaning casually back in his chair, the iron-clad bands of muscle around his biceps bulging ominously as he folded his arms around his chest. Ryan recognized that steady look; he'd been on the receiving end of it when he'd missed Rhiannon's opening night, and – knowing what Sam could do with his fists – it had made Ryan's heart stutter to a stop. Ryan firmly believed that it was not a look for the faint of heart. Either Talman had balls of steel, or he was just too stupid to be frightened."Not that it's any of your business, Talman, but no . . . I haven't 'banged' her yet."

"Why the fuck not, man? It's always the quiet ones you gotta watch out for. Wowza!"

Though his eyes never strayed from Talman's own, Sam's hand nevertheless shot out then, his palm closing easily around Ryan's fist as the blond drew back his arm to throw a punch. "Cool it, Ry. The last thing you need to do is get into even more trouble." Looking up at his teammate, Sam contemplated him for a second, "I respect Sadira enough not to push her to do anything until she's ready. If my girlfriend's not ready to take that step, _we're _not ready to take that step. You understand? Or do I need to dumb it down a little more for you, Idjit?"

"Idjit?"

"It's my Uncle Bobby's favorite insult. He uses it in reference to my older brother all the time," Sam explained calmly, rolling his eyes at the stupidity of some of his teammates.

Just then Sam's cell phone rang, the guitar strains of Augustana's "Sweet and Low" floating up from his pocket. Fishing for it, he didn't check the caller ID before he flipped it open with the greeting of, "Hey Sadira-girl; we were just talking about you."

"I thought my ears were burning," Rhiannon remarked dryly. "Just try not to hit them _too_ hard, okay?"

"I'll do my utmost best," Sam agreed, leaning further back into his seat.

"I just wanted to remind you about our AP literature essay we have due Monday afternoon."

Sam's eyes went wide at the reminder. "Shit!"

Rhiannon chuckled, as she continued, "I thought that would be your reaction, which is why this next little tidbit is so important; I took the liberty of doing it for you."

Sam sagged in relief, as he thanked whatever God was listening for having such an awesome girlfriend. "You're the very best girlfriend a guy could ever have. Are you serious?"

"It's sitting in my backpack back at the house," Rhiannon confirmed lightly. "Which brings me to my repayment."

"Name it."

"My DE Calculus homework?"

Shifting the phone to his left ear, Sam grabbed up his pen and a spare piece of paper. "What did you have to do?"

"Pages 259 through 262. We were assigned all of the odd problems, as well as problems 30, 32, 34, 36, 52, 54 and 60."

Sam scribbled the problems down frantically, before fishing in his backpack for their calculus book. "I'll have that done by the time we get to LA."

"You're the best!" she laughed, before she continued, "Did you decide what you wanted for dinner? My treat?"

"I don't know. I'm craving teriyaki chicken with fried rice and sweet & sour sauce."

"All right then; Japanese it is. We'll pick it up on the way to the hotel, and we'll have it ready for you whenever you make it up to the room. Ask my brother what he wants."

Sam glanced over at Ryan, getting a shake of his head, the blond having obviously overheard his sister's inquiry. "Ryan says he doesn't want anything, but thanks though."

"All right. Tell him I love him and he's an idiot."

Ryan laughed outright, even as Sam grinned and replied, "Will do."

"Sam?"

"Yes love?"

"Does your brother always drive like a bat out of hell?"

"When Dean is driving, Dean _is _a bat out of hell. Why? Is he scaring you?"

"No, it's just a different driving style than I'm used to."

"You've ridden with Dean before."

"I know; that's not what I meant. Never mind. It's not important. We're about an hour out, so I have to go. I miss you and I can't wait to see you."

"We haven't been apart that long, Sadira," Sam teased his girlfriend with a low laugh.

"I know, but I always miss you when we're not together," Rhiannon pouted, knowing that her boyfriend was teasing her.

Sam laughed, imagining the way her lower lip would be puffed out in adorable disgruntlement. "Hey Sadira?"

"Yeah Sam?"

"I love you," he told her, getting wide-eyed stares from the three nosy guys that were paying attention to his conversation. Unlike Talman, Luke and Chip, however, Ryan only grinned at the declaration, the grin widening at a giggling Rhiannon's answer, "I know."

Talman protested the phrase, despite Sam's chuckles, knowing that his girlfriend was doing exactly what he'd insisted on that night he'd first told her he loved her, before the couple exchanged their goodbyes. Sam arched up out of his seat and slid the phone back into his back pocket, even as Ryan's head rolled to face his sister's boyfriend, teasing, "I'm going to be seeing a lot of my sister this weekend, aren't I?"

"More than likely."

"How fortunate for you then, that we got paired up together as roommates."

Sam's grin was crooked wickedly as he replied, "Indeed. And that your mom booked your sister a room in the same hotel as the team."

"That is convenient," Ryan remarked dryly, rolling his eyes. "Damn. I'm gonna have to watch the two of you be all cutesy this weekend."

"Well, my brother, girlfriend and best friend are all going to this tournament, so you actually won't see much of me when I'm not on the field."

"My mom let the two of you spend the night alone at your place on New Year's Eve, and you shared a room together at the Links, Sam. Just because you aren't having sex, doesn't mean that I don't know exactly what I'm going to be seeing while the two of you are in the hotel room at night."

Sam grinned. "You could always bunk up with Taylor or Dean."

"I'll pass. Someone's gotta play chaperon with the two of you."

"Cause we've ever needed one? We're not the couple that got caught on your bed, with hands in places your mother didn't think they should have been."

Ryan blushed to the roots of his hair, well remembering the time that Kirsten had walked in on him and Marissa making out on his bed in the pool house. "Jackass."

Sam laughed, before returning his attention to his girlfriend's Calculus homework. True to his word, he had the assignment completed by the time they pulled up to the hotel in Los Angeles.

Dean was pacing impatiently in the lobby, while Rhiannon and Taylor gossiped happily on one of the couches placed about the room. Taylor looked up at her crush, cocking an eyebrow at his impatience. "Dean, come sit. Pacing isn't going to get them here any faster."

"I just don't understand why he couldn't have come with us. We're staying at the same hotel and everything."

"It's a liability for the school; if something happened to Sam while he wasn't on the school-sponsored transportation, the school could get into big trouble for it," Rhiannon explained, watching her two friends as they interacted with each other.

Taylor got up from the couch, moving to wrap her arms around Dean's waist so as to offer some kind of comfort. "Sam's fine, Dean. Just be patient."

Dean's arms came around the girl's shoulders, squeezing her body to him firmly. "I'm just worried about him. He's my kid brother."

"Who is more than capable of taking care of himself," Rhiannon reminded him, watching as the embrace relaxed into something a little more casual, but just as intimate. "So, how are you Dean? Sam said you'd gotten hurt."

"Yeah; I cracked a few ribs on the last job Dad took me on, but I'm all right for the most part. Still a little sore, but I'll live." Dean looked between the two girls, allowing a sly grin to tilt his lips. "So what did Sammy get me for my birthday?"

Taylor giggled, shaking her head up at the 20 year old. "Nice try, Dean. We are not spying on your brother for you. You're just going to have to wait for your birthday."

"That's three days away!" Dean whined, getting a fond chuckle from Taylor. "Two and a half, actually. And we're going to be celebrating here in LA. Surely you can wait until Sunday night to find out what we all got you."

"Can you at least tell me what we're doing Tuesday night, that Sam's so fidgety about?"

"No," Rhiannon insisted, a small smile on her lips as she watched him try to figure out that surprise. "Dean, your brother is really excited about this, okay? Do not spoil it for him. He worked really hard to make this birthday good for you; don't ruin it."

"But I want to know. I hate surprises."

"Not all surprises are bad."

"They are in my line of work," Dean muttered, glancing toward the front windows of the hotel again.

"You know, if you'd just followed the bus, we wouldn't have been waiting like we are now. We would've gotten here at the same time as Sam."

"That bus was like a baby crawling! My baby only has two speeds; fast and faster. She refuses to imitate snails."

"Then you're going to have to be patient."

Dean grumped, muttering unhappily under his breath, though he didn't move his arms from around Taylor's shoulders. Rhiannon grinned lightly at the unconscious display of affection, continuing to chat with her best friends as they waited for the bus carrying the fourth member of their group to arrive.

When the bus arrived outside the hotel, Sam was up and out of his seat in two seconds, bag in hand. He got three quarters of the way down the center aisle before the rest of the bus had even realized that they had stopped. The driver opened the door and Sam scrambled down the stairs. It made him smile to see his brother charging out the door of the hotel, his girlfriend and best friend hot on his heels. "Dude, I'm okay, really," Sam laughed, letting Dean haul him into a fierce hug.

Dean slapped his brother's back once, before drawing back to look at his brother for a long moment. Obviously satisfied by whatever he'd seen, Dean released him to allow Rhiannon to get at him next. The blond's Prussian eyes were bright and wide as she stepped flawlessly into Sam's arms, sighing as his arms wrapped around her shoulders tightly. "Hello baby."

"Hello Sadira, my love," he breathed, bending nearly in half to catch her lips with his and erase the uneasy tension he could feel in her body. Rhiannon surrendered to him easily, before they broke apart. Behind them, the rest of the team was disembarking from the bus, but the four ignored them. "Hey Tay. Has my brother been driving you both nuts?"

"Like you wouldn't believe. But that's okay. He's cute, so we let him get away with it," Taylor laughed, her eyes bright as she stared up at Dean.

Dean smiled down at the girl, bending slightly to her height to press an affectionate kiss to her cheek. "Love you too, Tay."

Taylor giggled, snuggling casually into Dean's arms. Sam and Rhiannon glanced at each other slyly, both obviously thinking the same thoughts, before Sam gripped his girlfriend's hand tightly. "Did you guys check in already?"

"Yep," Taylor chirped, "We got here about an hour ago, so we're unpacked and settled in and everything."

"After which, Dean put himself to panicking about me," Sam continued.

It wasn't a question.

"You know your brother so well," Rhiannon laughed happily, her head tilting all the way back so that she could look into her boyfriend's eyes. "We have food in mine and Taylor's room when you want it." Fishing in her pocket, she pulled out a spare room key to hers and Taylor's room and held it out to him. "Taylor and I should probably get some sleep. It wasn't as relaxing a drive as it usually is. Come see me once you get settled in?" she asked, her eyes wide and innocent as they gaze into her boyfriend's own.

"Absolutely," Sam agreed, taking the key and bending to kiss her again. "I'll see you soon."

The two girls nodded, linking elbows and moving back into the hotel. An hour later, Sam let himself into the girls' room. Both girls were sound asleep, and Rhiannon didn't even flinch as Sam undressed down to his undershirt and his boxers and climbed into bed beside her. Exhausted from the day, Sam wrapped one arm around her waist and tugged her back against his chest. Closing his eyes, he was asleep before he'd spent even a minute contemplating the back of his eyelids. Dean came into the room 20 minutes later, putting the Japanese take-out into their little fridge and tucking all three teenagers into bed more securely. Taylor's eyes crept open as Dean tugged the comforter up around her shoulders, one hand coming out to grab Dean's wrist. "Dean . . . you're exhausted. Come to bed."

"I have my own room, Tay," Dean reminded her with a pair of cautious ivy eyes and a small grin.

"Afraid of pirating my virtue?" she teased, a wide yawn splitting her face even as her eyes blinked up at him sleepily.

"Among other things," he chuckled quietly, glancing over at the other bed to make sure that Sam and Rhiannon continued to sleep undisturbed. "I just think you could do so much better than me, Tay."

Tugging firmly, she hauled him down to sit on the bed beside her. "Don't be ridiculous, Dean. There isn't anyone else who could be any better for me than you; besides, I trust you completely."

Dean's fingers were gentle on her forehead as they brushed back an auburn curl, before he bent to unlace his heavy work boots. "This is a really bad idea," he insisted, even as he pulled off his boots and shucked his denim button-down.

"Maybe . . . but it's the best bad idea I've had all year," she agreed, scooting closer as Dean laid down on the bed beside her, his head propped up by a few pillows. His arms tightened around her tiny body protectively as Taylor's head came to rest on his chest. "Good night, Dean."

"Good night, Tay. I'll see you in the morning," he promised, pressing an adoring kiss to the top of her head, seconds before she slipped under the veil of unconsciousness once again.

Dean stayed awake for hours, marveling at the beautiful young girl in his arms and the fact that she'd said he was the one she wanted.

The next morning, an hour or so before the first game, the team for the Harbor School was at the soccer field, going through warm-ups, as were the other teams that wold be playing that day. Dean was entertaining the girls where they sat on the bleachers, and the girlish peals of giggles floated all the way across the field and out to the players. Sam's jaw tightened every time someone on his team – on any of the teams – turned to stare at his girlfriend, each of his teammates earning a swift punch to the shoulder every time the staring turned into outright ogling.

Currently their Coach was having his whole team run a mile in order to get loose and Sam, as usual, was leaving everyone in the dust. He streaked past the Coach, the hair at his temples dampened slightly with sweat but otherwise unaffected by his obvious speed. His Coach stared at him in shock, as Sam slowed and lifted his arms over his head, walking across the length of the field to cool down from the run. "Do you have any idea how fast you were going?" the man asked his star center-forward as Sam came back to his side, collapsing into the cool grass at his feet.

Sam's head shook from side to side slowly, "Not a clue."

"You just ran a 4:15 mile."

"Is that good?" Sam asked, one eye peeking open in question, his hands coming up to shield his eyes from the vibrant sun.

"Sam, that's out of this world. World class runners with world records under their belts run those kind of times; not 16 year old, high school soccer players."

Sam lay still for a long moment, as the rest of the team started to thunder past through the end of their last laps. Sam was oblivious to their gathering, as he remarked, "My older brother is faster than me."

The Coach's jaw dropped as his eyes unconsciously drifted toward where Dean was perched on the railing of the bleachers, his hands waving as he told the girls some story and perfectly balanced despite that. "You mean him?" he asked, pointing in the 20 year old's direction.

"Dean's my only older brother, so yeah; I mean Dean."

Luke had heard the comment and spoke up now. "That's impossible." Chip nodded his agreement, "Yeah, Winchester, prove it."

Sam sighed and hauled himself up to his elbows. "Dean!" he bellowed, causing Dean's body to rock precariously in surprise.

Dean twisted his upper body, as the girls got off the bleachers and joined him at the railing to stare at Sam. "What's up, Geek-boy!?" the elder Winchester shouted back, reaching out unconsciously to steady Taylor as she climbed up onto the bottom rung of the railing beside him.

"Come here!" Sam called, rolling his eyes as the boys on his team began to make bets on the fact that Sam was full of it. "Bring the girls."

Rhiannon and Taylor glanced at each other in confusion, before turning to look at Dean. Dean shrugged at whatever silent question they'd asked him, before shouting toward his brother again, "Why?"

"A race!"

"Sam, I beat you every time. You refuse to race me anymore. What's the real reason?"

"They don't believe that you're faster than me! They want you to prove it!"

"A chance to beat the tar out of my brother? Huh, can't argue with that," Dean remarked in an aside to the girls, getting girlish giggles from them both as he hopped down from the railing and held out a hand to Taylor to assist her down from the rung as well.

The three moved toward the field; Rhiannon dashed as quickly down the stairs and across the field as she could, while Dean and Taylor lingered behind, their hands linked casually between them. Sam laughed as his girlfriend crashed at full speed into her brother, nearly knocking Ryan onto his ass. Ryan backstepped quickly, just barely able to avoid a painful crash to the ground. "Aren't you supposed to attack your boyfriend like that?"

"I was attacking you like this a long time before I ever started attacking Sam like this," she replied, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"So how are we doing this?" Dean inquired, as he approached the group. Crouching, he started to unlace his boots and kick them off, before pealing off his shirts as well. Sam rolled his eyes, but proceeded to do the same, stripping out of his t-shirt and his tennis shoes to stand barefoot and bare-chested like his brother.

Taylor bit her lower lip obviously as the elder Winchester's perfectly sculpted body was slowly revealed until he was left in only his jeans, his chest and feet bare. Rhiannon giggled at the look on her best friend's face, getting an answering grin from Sam, before a fierce scowl marred her face as one of Sam's teammates hissed, "Terminal Taylor."

Both Winchesters whirled, their faces identical masks of total fury at the insult. Ryan backstepped quickly, recognized the look as the one that had precluded the ass kicking Sam had dished out at Thanksgiving to Gatta's goons. Dean shoved past the team, grabbing Talman by his shirt and hauling him up, his feet hanging dangling off the group by inches. "You listen to me, you little punk. Taylor Townsend is so far out of your league, you should be worshiping at her feet. You ever say anything that disrespectful to her again, and my brother and I hear about it, you're going to wish your mama had never whelped you. And if you want an idea of what we'll do to you, just ask Ryan Atwood what kind of damage my Geek-boy little brother can do alone when confronted with seven guys twice his size. You understand me?" Dean growled, the tones low and furious.

Whatever Talman saw in those blazing ivy eyes, frightened him enough that his mouth was slack with fear and his eyes were wide with terror. He nodded frantically, desperate to have Dean turn his attention elsewhere. Setting the younger boy on his feet and whirling him to face the young lady in question, Dean shook him hard once, ordering, "Apologize to her!"

"I . . . I'm sorry," Talman stammered, pupils blown wide as he begged for forgiveness from the auburn haired girl.

Taylor was blushing lightly, her eyes fixed on Dean's face adoringly, but she smiled now with a small nod. "Forgiven. I would listen to him, though; the Winchesters do not use idle threats."

Shoving the kid away from him, Dean grinned at Taylor, as she slipped under his arm with a quiet, "Thank you."

"I told you we'd take care of you, Tay. You ever have any trouble with these goons, just let Sam and I know and we'll take care of it for you."

She nodded, hugging him tightly, before stepping back to stand beside Rhiannon again. Dean turned to his brother, the adrenaline flowing through his bones and making him jittery. He bounced on the balls of his feet as he spoke, "So how are we doing this?"

"I don't know. Ask Chip; he's the one who wanted you to prove it."

"Chip? What are parents naming their kids nowadays?" Dean asked, turning to look back at the rest of the team. "I have a better idea. This is a 400 meter track right?"

"Yep; four circuits make a mile," Sam agreed, noticing that the display had the attention of the other teams on the field.

"All right then; one lap around the track, full on sprint. First one to slap the hand at the end of the track wins."

"Whose going to volunteer to do that?" Sam asked caustically, getting a tiny jolt as Taylor spoke up quietly, "I will. Rhiannon can start you off, but I'll be the one to determine the winner."

The two brothers looked at each other and nodded. "Agreed," they said simultaneously, before they lined up at the staggered starting lines.

Rhiannon moved so that she was standing in front of them both. Reaching for the scarf around her waist, she held up her hands and watched both of them carefully. "Ready?"

Both boys nodded at the youngest of their quartet, before Rhiannon took a deep breath and shouted, "GO!"

The two boys lunged off their marks, both pushing hard in an attempt to beat the other. They were pretty evenly matched for the first 100 meters, but shortly thereafter Dean started to pull ahead, essentially leaving his little brother eating his dust. Rhiannon could see that Sam's coach was timing Sam, obviously interested in the race only to see how fast Sam could sprint. Dean slapped Taylor's hand a full twenty seconds before his brother, causing Taylor to laugh and throw her arms around his neck. "You were amazing!" she cheered, laughing as he swung her up and spun her around, the adrenaline doing crazy things to his emotions.

Sam pulled up next to Rhiannon, and both stared as Dean leaned forward to press a sharp kiss to Taylor's laughing mouth. Taylor's eyes flashed wide for a moment in surprise, before the fact that Dean was pulling away registered. Grabbing his face in her hands, she hauled him back to her, surrendering completely to the kiss and drawing him deeply into the embrace.

The coach was still staring at the stopwatch in his hands in total shock; Sam had lost to his brother, true, but he would have easily beaten Harbor's best track star. "Have you considered joining the track team, Sam?"

"My father can barely stand the fact that I'm on the soccer team," Sam replied in answer.

"You should. You'd be its star without even putting any effort into it."

"I don't think so. There's no way I'd be able to convince my father that it would be a good idea."

The coach nodded, looking thoughtful, before a light bulb went off behind his eyes. "Sam, you're here on scholarship, right?"

"Yeah," Sam agreed, catching the soccer ball Ryan rocketed his way, kicking it back to the striker, even as he gave their coach his full attention.

"Did you know that for every sport you play, that you're good at, they'll pump more money into your scholarship so that they don't lose an athlete?"

Sam looked torn at the knowledge; the more money the school applied to his scholarship, the longer he could stay with Rhiannon at Harbor, but there was no way he'd be able to convince his dad that it was a good idea. Dean saw the problem and spoke up, "Don't worry about Dad, Sammy; I'll deal with him."

Sam's eyes were very wide, "Are you sure?"

"It's not the first time I've gone toe to toe with John Winchester for your sake," Dean reminded his brother, pressing a quick kiss to Taylor's willing mouth again, before slapping his brother on the back once more. "Don't worry about it. I promised, Sam; be brilliant and you'll still be here with Rhiannon at graduation."

Sam took a deep breath, releasing it through a set of clenched teeth. "I don't know, man."

"Sammy, trust me. Okay Geek-boy?"

Sam nodded, his eyes slipping closed as he sought to steady himself, before he turned to the coach. "So who do I need to talk to about joining the track team?"

The coach grinned. "Me. Welcome to the team."


	9. The Tournament

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it.

Summary: The Geek Squad plus Dean are still in LA, the Harbor School is in the finals, there's Trouble at a tournament party, the Cohens show to cheer for their "sons" and Sam pays a harsh price for his devotion to his girlfriend.

Enjoy!

Chapter 9

Sitting in the bleachers with his girlfriend and his teammates during one of the semi-final games, Sam's eyes were focused on the tiny center forward of the team in front of him. She was the only female on the predominantly male team and some part of Sam was analyzing her. Harbor had already won their semi-final and the winner of this game would be playing Harbor. If they played Illyria Prep, Sam really didn't want to hurt the girl, but he wasn't about to let her walk all over him either. Not to mention, he was nearly twice her size. He'd heard the captain of her team call her Viola and the back of her jersey read Hastings. Ryan plopped into the seat on the opposite side of Sam from his sister, the shorter boy watching his sister's boyfriend with curious eyes. "You okay, Sam?"

"I'm facing off against her!? I'm gonna break her in half!" Sam burst out, waving a vague arm in Viola Hastings' general direction.

"If she's playing on the boy's team, she's probably not fragile," Rhiannon reminded her boyfriend, enjoying his solid presence beside her.

Sam gave his girlfriend a look, before turning his attention back to the girl. She was brutal, pushing the boys on the opposing team around as though they were paper maché. "She's like two feet tall."

"That's just the distance differential. She's probably closer to five," Ryan teased, getting a death glare from the 6 foot 2 teenager.

Hastings passed the captain the ball, sending it high, allowing Orsino – the name on the back of the captain's jersey – to pull off a near flawless bicycle kick. The entire Harbor team groaned at the sight, most especially the team's goalie. "Those things are impossible to defend against!" the boy moaned, sagging slightly into a miserable slouch.

"Not impossible . . . just highly improbable," Ryan corrected, his elbows on his knees as he narrowed his eyes at the field, watching the team scramble to defend their one goal lead as the clock continued to run down. "He's good. The captain, I mean."

"He's dating Hastings," Sam announced, watching with assessing eyes as Orsino stepped in unconsciously to defend the tiny dynamo.

"How the hell do you know that?" Luke demanded, his eyes cocking one eyebrow curiously at their tall center forward.

"It's not that hard to tell, Luke," Ryan seconded, recognizing the behavior of a guy crazy about a girl. He was well acquainted with the behavior what with his relationship with Marissa, and Sam was completely devoted to protecting Rhiannon from anything that could frighten her and potentially cause a panic attack. "He's going out of his way to protect her."

Rhiannon watched her boyfriend carefully, studiously ignoring the conversation between Dean and Taylor behind her. Leaning over, she rested her chin on his shoulder and inquired quietly, "Penny for your thoughts?"

Sam looked down at her, seeing the ever familiar low-grade fear that she wasn't enough shining in her eyes, though she was valiantly trying to hide it. Bending his head, he pressed a sweet kiss to her temple, one huge hand palming her chin. "I'm just thinking about all the ways that I love you," he whispered into the cloud of platinum blond hair that floated around her heart shaped face.

She gave him a grateful smile, chuckling under her breath. "Liar. I'm serious, Sam."

He watched her carefully, seeing her sincerity and her genuine smile. Turning back to the game, he was careful to keep his tone for her ears alone. "You see the captain? Right there?"

"Number 7?" she asked, turning her own attention to the field.

"That's him. His name's Duke Orsino. He's the star of this team. He's what they call a striker and from the looks of things, he's their leading scorer too."

"Okay. What about him?"

"We think that number 13 might be his girlfriend. Her name's Viola Hastings. She's called a center forward."

"You're the center forward for Harbor."

"Yep."

"So you're going to face off with her?"

"Yep."

"You'll break her in half!"

Sam grinned at her, kissing her temple again. "Yep."

Rhiannon's head cocked to the side as she watched the girl. "That's almost unfair."

Taylor's head leaned forward between Sam and Rhiannon then. "Apparently there's a big tournament sponsored party tonight for the two finalist teams. You guys are going, right?"

"I didn't bring anything for a formal party! Just clubbing," Rhiannon protested, her Prussian blue eyes going very wide, whirling in her seat to stare in horror at her best friends. Rounding back on Sam, she punched his shoulder, "Why didn't you tell me!?"

"Ouch! I forgot. I'm sorry!" he laughed, flinching away from the next two punches, one of which gave him a Charlie horse sending a riot of sensation down his whole arm, as his other hand came up to shield the spot. "Sadira, you hit like a girl. Remind me to teach you how to punch someone."

"I am a girl," she growled, her eyes narrowing slightly at him.

Sam grinned, that shy half-smile that always melted her heart. She could never stay mad at him when he looked at her like that. "Thank God, or I wouldn't be as happy as I am at Harbor."

Rhiannon's head ducked slightly, as her cheeks turned a charming rose color. "Shut up!" she ordered self-consciously. "No fair! For once I'd like to stay mad at you for more than two seconds."

Sam leaned over to kiss her cheek adoringly, before rotating back around to face Dean. "Take the girls to find something to wear?"

"I can do that. You gonna stay?"

"I have to. Coach will flip his lid if I leave." Bending his head, he brushed his lips against his girlfriend's. "Go on. I can't wait to see it."

"It's gonna be a surprise, just because you didn't tell me about this thing tonight," Rhiannon insisted petulantly, with an adorable pout.

Taylor took her hand and hauled her to her feet, dragging her inexorably toward the exit. Straining back against the tug on her hand, Rhiannon fought to keep her eyes on Sam. "Hey Sammy-honey!?" she called, as Taylor continued to pull her reluctantly down the stairs, with Dean following close behind.

"Yeah Sadira?" he called back with a smile in his voice.

"I love you!" she shouted, just before Taylor dragged her out of sight.

Dean rotated to see his brother's reaction, a wide grin on his face as he watched Sam's face go slack in shock and before his whole being lit up with happiness. Holding up one fist in a show of solidarity, he shouted up the stairs, teasing his little brother in front of his entire team, "My little brother's finally gonna get some!"

"Shut up, jerk!" Sam shouted back with a laugh, even as his cheeks turned the color of fresh strawberries.

"Make me bitch!" Dean tossed back, before following the girls out of sight.

"One day, I'm going to kill him," Sam muttered in Ryan's direction, his eyes slanting over to look at his girlfriend's twin brother. Ryan's ocean blue eyes were very wide and his skin was almost ashen. "Ry? You okay?"

Ryan looked up at Sam, seeing genuine embarrassment and a hint of amusement in those green-hazel eyes. "He was joking, right?"

"Ryan, that's the first time Sadira has ever told me she loves me," Sam explained, his eyebrows arched slightly in confusion. "Of course he was joking."

"Rhiannon has never been in love before, Sam. She might think she's ready . . . "

"Yeah, and we both know she's not. I've been taking care of Rhiannon's emotional well-being with the help of Taylor and your parents for awhile now. I know Rhiannon's not ready. And until she's ready to be intimate with me, I'm not ready to be intimate with her." He cast a sideways look at him, with a small smile. "And Ryan, no offense, but you really don't give your sister enough credit. She knows her own mind and she knows her own feelings. Rhiannon knows she isn't ready; just because she finally told me that she loves me, doesn't mean she's automatically ready to jump into bed with me. And if you spent more time with your sister, you'd know that too."

Ryan's jaw tightened angrily, his pale skin reddening at the reminder that he hadn't been as good of a brother as he could have been lately. He was trying, but what with Oliver and Marissa and everything that was going on, he hadn't been as attentive as he had been hoping to be since his Christmukkah revelation and his vow to make it up to his sister.

Still, despite the painfully brutal, bluntly honest words, the resolute tone in Sam's voice was reassuring. Sam was a 16 year old boy, true, but he was just about the most well-adjusted, level-headed 16 year old Ryan had ever met. Ryan had only seen Sam lose his temper once, and he'd only gotten violent once . . . and even that had been in Ryan's defense. Sure, he got angry about the team's inappropriate jokes and talk about Rhiannon, as well as their indecent stares as though they were trying to strip her with their eyes, but, then again, so did Ryan. It comforted Ryan to know that his baby sister's boyfriend was going to think with his brain, not his hormones, when it finally came down to the time that Sam and Rhiannon were ready to take that step.

And Ryan had no doubt that the correct word to use in that situation was 'when' rather than 'if'."

Clapping the taller boy on his shoulder, he smiled at him gratefully, "Thanks Sam."

"No problem. Ryan, I'm gonna take good care of her for as long as she'll have me. I promise," Sam vowed, his eyes dead serious and calm, showing none of the fear of commitment that Ryan had seen in the eyes of other boys their age.

Ryan's eyes narrowed slightly, and the look was so familiar that Sam was once again forcibly reminded that Ryan and Rhiannon were twins. "You really do love her . . . don't you?"

Sam's head ducked slightly, before it moved in a shallow nod. "I am. I've never felt this way before. And I know my dad says it's just puppy love, and it'll pass, but I've heard Dean counter that argument before. Even Dean thinks that my relationship with your sister is going to last." Fidgeting with his hands, Sam paused for a moment, before he confessed, "One day, I'm going to put a ring on that girl's finger, Ryan. As God is my witness, I'm going to have her forever."

Ryan smiled lightly, clearly uncomfortable with talk of _anyone _committing to his baby sister, before turning back to the game. Sam chuckled in his spot next to him, before returning his own attention back on the game. Illyria Prep beat Hamilton handily and, as a team, Harbor groaned. "We've got a lot of work to do," announced Luke, Harbor's team captain, as he pushed himself to his feet.

That night, Sam and Dean hid in plain sight of the guests in the hotel's banquet hall, watching the two teams – The Harbor School of Newport Beach, California, and Illyria Preparatory of Newport News, New Jersey – mingle and get to know each other. "Man, I can't believe this is high school. Was it ever like this for me?" Dean groaned, his head falling back against the wall beside his little brother's chair, as they waited for the girls to join them.

"I don't know," Sam muttered, rolling his eyes slightly, as he continued, "I wasn't aware you ever attended."

Dean's eyes furrowed for a moment, before he nodded. "Yeah, you've got a point. The girls though . . . mm! The girls were hot!"

Sam chuckled at his older brother's dreamy eyed look, shaking his head with the ever familiar thought that one of them had to be crazy. "Is that the only reason you ever went to class?"

There was a long pause as Dean considered the question before nodding, "Yep. That'd be about it. I didn't need to know that crap; I know the important stuff, and that's what matters."

"The important stuff? What like two plus two equals four?" Sam snarked with a roll of his green-hazel eyes.

"Shut up, Sammy, I can still kick your ass. And no, I mean the _important_ stuff. You know like the fact that salt repels evil; a silver bullet will kill a werewolf; demons exist; decapitation is the only way to kill a vampire; and little brothers are a pain in my ass."

Sam gave Dean a sidelong glare, to which Dean only smirked. "Come on man. Don't give me the bitch face, please. You've got the whole world at your feet! You're attending a fancy private, prep school; playing for their soccer team in addition to running for their track team; and you have two of the best friends anyone could ever ask for. Both of whom happen to be gorgeous. And one is even head-over-heels in love with you, which just proves that something in that steel trap mind of hers is intrinsically flawed."

Sam chuckled, as he shook his head. "You're an idiot, you know that."

"Yeah, but I'm an idiot kinda sorta maybe dating one of your best friends."

"Of you're dating now?"

"I really don't know what we're doing now. You've met Taylor, right? The tiny but still leggy, redheaded dynamo who's just as crazy as you are, with the same self-esteem issues as the rest of the Geek-Squad? I don't think she's ever had a boyfriend before, and I don't want to screw it up."

"Oh, _I'm _the crazy one? I always kinda thought I was the most sane of everyone in this family," Sam snorted derisively, though he didn't contest the fact that he and his two best friends each had a whole load of self-esteem issues; Taylor's came from her mother, Sam's came from his father, and Rhiannon's came from Mike.

Dean chuckled, "You just keep telling yourself that Sammy-boy."

Sam huffed petulantly, "It's Sam, Dean. For the last time, it's Sam."

"You want me to call you 'Sam', Sammy, you're gonna have to make me," the elder Winchester taunted, amused by his little brother's ever familiar bitch face.

"Shut up, jerk," Sam snapped, though there was no annoyance in his tone, only grudging affection.

"Make me, bitch," Dean crowed, reaching out to ruffle his little brother's mop of dark brown hair.

Sam stood from his chair at that moment, hearing a pair of familiar voices laughing from near the doors. Rhiannon and Taylor entered the hotel's ballroom then, arm in arm and enjoying each other's company. Sam chuckled as he watched them come closer. Taylor wore a siren red dress that left her shoulders bare and fell to her knees. The flounces in the skirt added the illusion of height to her petite frame. Rhiannon wore a navy blue sun-dress with baby blue shoulder straps and a bow that matching the straps just under her bustline, the full, circle skirt swishing whimsically about her knees. Their hair hung from its half-up style, held back with matching jeweled clips. Sam recognized the initialed necklaces around their necks; the two girls had given them to each other for Christmukkah, along with the clips in their hair. Both girls were beautiful and every eye in the room was on them as they sashayed through the door as though they owned the place. Sam stood head and shoulders over the rest of the room's occupants and Rhiannon caught sight of her boyfriend almost immediately. She giggled lightly to her best friend, her words too low for anyone else to hear, before the two steered toward them.

Sam's smile slipped and his jaw tightened slightly as a guy slipped between the two pairs, his slick smile evidence enough of what he wanted from Sam's girls. Rhiannon's pretty eyes went wide in what Sam had begun to realize was a soul-deep fear that she'd been both running from and fighting against since childhood. Next to her, Taylor gave the rival soccer player a dry-ice look in an effort to protect her best friend, a look that should have frozen the blood in the kid's veins. Whatever was in his punch glass, however, was not punch and fearlessness was the name of his game. Sam glanced at his brother, reading the same look in Dean's eyes that he was sure was in his own. The two Winchesters pushed away from their spots by the wall, and strode through the crowd. Harbor's players recognized the furious looks on their faces and parted like the Red Sea, allowing the boys to cut through the throng of high school students like hot knives through butter. Sam felt his jaw tighten angrily as the guy grabbed Rhiannon's forearm in a manner entirely too familiar for his peace of mind, Rhiannon's terrified whimper slicing through the room like a bullet.

Before Taylor had the opportunity to throw the kid's hand off of her, Dean was there, his hands curled in the lapels of the boy's expensive jacket as he wrenched him away from Rhiannon. Rhiannon let out a startled cry as her arm jerked free, Sam's fingers tender on her face as his free arm hauled her close to him. She buried into the safety of his embrace, her eyes unbearably wide as she stared into open space, Sam's arms a warm and familiar weight around her. She was hyperventilating, and Sam tensed, prepared to haul her off her feet and whisk her away if she should suddenly have a panic attack. Taylor joined the effort to calm her, fingers tender on the exposed skin of her upper arms, as Dean took care of running the soccer junkie off.

Dark eyes were very wide as Dean hauled him onto his tiptoes and within inches of Dean's face. "What's your name, kid?"

"Mark," the boy stammered, his eyes seemingly glued to Dean's blazing ivy green.

"Well, Mark, my name's Dean, and that's my little brother, Sam. The red haired spitfire is my girl, Taylor. And the girl you just grabbed is Sam's girlfriend, Rhiannon. As you can see, we're a little protective of our Stardust. So I'm going to give you a head's up and warn you that the smartest thing you could do right now, is walk away. You got me?"

Mark nodded frantically, eyes still wide as Dean set him back on his feet and straightened his lapel. Putting the kid back to rights, Dean slapped his shoulders lightly, before letting go. Mark continued to stare, before Dean rolled his eyes and leaned forward a bit, whispering, "Boo!"

Mark turned tail and ran, as fast as his legs could take him to the door. A pair of black eyes watched him as he approached, one hand reaching out to grab him and stall his headlong flight into era. Mark's eyes were still afraid, and the friendly smile on the other boy's face did little to calm his fear. "Mark, right?"

"Yeah. Who are you?"

"That's not important. You want them, don't you?"

Mark looked back over his shoulder, eyes taking in the petite blond and the equally short redhead, before nodding. "Definitely."

One hand clapped his shoulder, as the grin grew exponentially, "Well, Mark, then I think that we can help each other. My name's Oliver, and the key to getting them . . . is to get rid of three people; the brothers Winchester and Ryan Atwood. You up for it?"

Mark watched him carefully for a moment, before returning the grin. "Just tell me what I need to do."

Behind the scheming duo, Sam had managed to get Rhiannon's trembling under some level of control, fortunately without the rest of the room having paid too much attention to the encounter and the subsequent aftermath. The last thing Rhiannon needed was to have a whole room of Harbor's jocks seeing her greatest weakness, and exploiting it for their own pleasure – or Marissa's – later. One huge hand was in her hair, palming the back of her head, while the other cradled her close where it sat at the small of her back. One of Taylor's hands was intertwined with Rhiannon's, though Taylor was burrowed comfortably against Dean's right side. Turning back from the scene, Oliver grinned at Mark, black eyes twinkling with barely concealed evil. "The key to getting rid of them all, is getting rid of Sam Winchester."

After the debacle with Mark, the foursome stayed at the party for only a little longer before heading out. Dean slipped the three underage teenagers into a small club in downtown LA – Sam's fake IDs holding up under the black light and the hologram inspection, as well as adequately fooling the bouncers – where the crowd was thin and they could all just relax. They'd made it back at a reasonably respectable hour; Sam checked in with his coach and Ryan, before the respective pairs slipped into bed and went to sleep.

The next afternoon was the final game of the tournament. Luke had his team out on the field, getting some last minute practice in, even before the ass crack of dawn. Ryan had called Rhiannon and Taylor's room as soon as Luke had called practice, giving Sam enough of a head's up that the other boy made it to the field at about the same time as the rest. Luke ran his team hard, knowing from the day before the areas they needed to perfect. It was nearly eleven o'clock before Luke was satisfied, releasing the team to catch some lunch and get ready for the game at four o'clock.

Ryan and Sam walked back to the hotel together, getting to know each other a little better. Sam had been dating Rhiannon for nearly five months, but neither of them had really taken the time to just talk to each other. They discovered that they had absolutely nothing in common, except for the fact that both of them were completely devoted to Ryan's little sister. Regardless of that fact, though, both of them knew that just that would be enough upon which to build a decent friendship.

When they got back to the hotel, Ryan's eyes went wide with surprise and there was a delighted smile on his face at the sight of the Cohens sitting with Dean and the girls at a booth in the hotel's restaurant. Seth looked up at his best friend, his girlfriend Summer and his best galpal Anna sitting beside him. "Hey Ryan! So what's this I hear about a championship game?"

Kirsten stood, her grin very wide and her eyes sparkling with pride as she opened her arms to the boy she loved as fiercely as a son. "Congratulations, Ryan."

"We haven't won yet," he protested, though he went without protesting into his foster mother's arms. Having a mother who cared about him still felt a little weird and it would take some more getting used to, but he was pretty sure that, with enough time, he could get used to her endless affection.

Kirsten kissed his cheek, causing a rosy blush. "I'm just proud of you for getting this far, Ryan." Looking up at Sam, who was standing a little ways away self-consciously, she amended, "I'm proud of you both."

Sam blushed slightly, ducking his head shyly, one hand reaching out to brush back a strand of his girlfriend's hair. "It's not a big deal."

Immediately Taylor, Dean and Rhiannon all burst out at the same time, "Stop saying that!"

Kirsten chuckled at Sam's shamefaced blush, ducking his head even further at the sharp reprimand from his friends, as the tall boy slipped into the empty seat next to Rhiannon. It was apparently a common thing for him to say, and his friends were tired of his obvious insecurities over something he was just as obviously good at. Rhiannon leaned over to kiss him, his huge palm cupping her cheek tenderly. "I love you," she whispered against his skin, her eyes sincere.

"I love you," he replied, his voice equally soft.

Sensing that it was a private moment between the couple and not wanting to draw attention to it as a result, Anna didn't say anything, only smiled slightly at Ryan as he took the seat next to her. "Hey," she murmured.

Seeing the emotion in those green eyes was informative and Ryan grinned back, with a quiet, "Hey." The two watched each other for a long moment, and Ryan mentally smacked himself in the head for never noticing Anna's easy grace and quiet beauty; it wasn't as flashy or superficial as Marissa's but it was substantial and went more than skin deep.

Kirsten smirked slightly, waiting for Ryan's attention to draw itself back to Anna. Finally remembering where he was, Ryan turned back to his foster parents. "So what are you doing here?"

"Dean called yesterday and told us that you both would be playing in the national championship game. So we packed up the car and got our asses down to Los Angeles."

"It's just a soccer game," Sam reminded them quietly, those insecurities of his rearing their ugly heads once again.

Rhiannon reached up and smacked the back of her boyfriend's head lightly, seconds before Dean did the same thing, leaning around Taylor to land the substantially harder blow to his little brother's head. Sam flinched at Dean's, ducking his head between his shoulders slightly in a fruitless effort to protect his head. Kirsten tried not to smile at the wordless punishment, reaching across the table to rest a hand on top of Sam's. "I know it's just a soccer game, but it's important to you both. As a result, Sandy and I want to be there to cheer you both on. I even brought signs!"

Sandy's voice was dry, as he teased his wife, "By the end of the game, everyone will know which family you belong to if Kirsten has her way. These signs are huge. Fortunately, she can only hold one at a time."

Rhiannon and Taylor piped up at the same time, "We'll hold Sam's!"

Sam groaned, though the small upwards tilt at the corner of his lips clued his family into the happiness he felt. His father had never shown even a little interest in his games, and it was a good feeling to have at least someone in his cheering section. Kirsten patted his hand lightly, wishing that she could press a maternal kiss to his cheek. "We care about you, honey. You, Dean, Summer, Anna and Taylor are just as much a part of this family as Seth, Ryan and Rhiannon. Understand?"

Sam nodded slightly, his eyes glowing with happiness. "Yes ma'am. Obey The Kirsten," he teased, his eyes twinkling.

Kirsten rolled her eyes at the familiar phrase; it seemed to be the motto by which her children and their friends lived by. Sandy, on the other hand, only laughed, amused by the persistence of the saying. "Now if only my own sons would figure that out, the Cohen home would be a lot calmer place."

"But Daddy, if it wasn't so crazy at home, life wouldn't be nearly as fun," Rhiannon giggled, her tone bright and bubbly as she winked playfully in the direction of her twin.

Sandy reached across the table and smoothed back a wayward curl from his daughter's face. "That's very true, Stardust, that's very true."

Kirsten took a seat next to her husband, watching as the two athletes in the family ordered huge meals, tucking in with ravenous gusto. "Have the two of you eaten today?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowed in question.

Ryan only shook his head, though Sam was a little more informative. "Luke called us out to practice before dawn this morning. Most of us haven't eaten yet."

"I'm gonna have to take this up with the school board. I don't care what the circumstances are, we paid so that you boys could eat three square meals a day while you were on this trip. You should have the opportunity to use the money."

Sam grinned a little. "It's all right, Kirsten. We needed the practice. We're playing Illyria Prep today, and we watched them play yesterday. There were a few things that we needed to work on."

Kirsten's eyes narrowed slightly, but she knew well enough that Sam was bullishly obstinate – a trait she was sure he'd inherited from his equally obstinate father – and any argument about it would only encounter fierce stubbornness. Giving it up for a bad job, Kirsten instead turned talk to Dean's birthday the next day, taking to cajoling and pleading to get him to let her throw him a party. Dean refused continually, one arm thrown casually over the back of Taylor's seat. It had not escaped her notice that Taylor and Dean were sitting a lot closer than normal, or that Taylor blushed every time his hand brushed her shoulder. Some small part of Kirsten wondered if she should step in, at least until the 16 year old was another year older, but the bigger part of her could only see the happiness and self-assurance Dean inspired in Taylor, and Kirsten just couldn't ruin it.

Later that afternoon, the Cohens sat with their daughter's friends and rooted for Harbor's soccer team. The first half passed quickly, the two teams tied at one. Luke had been credited with Harbor's goal, though both Sam and Ryan had been on hand for the assist. Dean, Rhiannon and Taylor made a solid cheering section for Sam, the two girls holding up the sign that Kirsten had made as they shouted and cheered for him. Kirsten and Sandy were just as loud, with Seth, Summer and Anna yelling steady shouts of encouragement toward Ryan on the field. Despite Sam's fears that he would break Illyria's tiny center forward if he used too much force, the tiny dynamo easily gave back as good as she got. The two had already gotten a little too rough with each other once, though neither seemed the worse for the experience.

When the game paused for halftime, Rhiannon stood to wave at Sam and Ryan as they disappeared into the tunnel to the locker room. Ryan waved at her and Sam blew her a kiss, getting a blush and a return kiss. No one noticed the black eyes watching the exchange or the brown eyes dark with revenge.

Rhiannon sighed happily, as she sunk back into her seat next to Taylor. "He's so hot!"

"Who? Ryan?" Taylor teased, knowing full well the answer was no.

Rhiannon gave her best friend a scathing glare. "No, Taylor; Sam."

"You really are in love with him, aren't you?" Dean asked, looking relieved by the knowledge.

Rhiannon blushed cherry red, ducking her head into Taylor's shoulder. "Yeah," she murmured quietly, "I really am."

Dean grinned, "Good."

The cherry red darkened to almost maroon, as Rhiannon ducked her head even further out of sight, listening to the good natured ribbing she was getting from her brother and their friends.

The second half started off with a bang. Sam had the ball, moving swiftly down the field toward the goal. Watching the defender coming toward him, Sam kicked the ball off to Ryan and tried to avoid the other player. The hit to his back came out of nowhere, knocking him to the ground and the air from his lungs. The kick to his head caused a bright flash of pain, before all he saw was darkness. The last thing he heard before he completely blacked out was a terrified scream of, "SAM!"


	10. Terrified and Strong

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it.

Summary: Sam's rushed to the hospital, Rhiannon tries to be strong, Harbor kicks Illyrian ass and Oliver gets ahold of Rhiannon.

Enjoy!

Chapter 10

Rhiannon screamed her boyfriend's name as Sam went down, followed by a particularly vile swear word from Dean as Sam's body relaxed into the telltale limpness of unconsciousness. "Taylor, keep her here!" he ordered in a tone that expected to be obeyed, even as he ran at full speed down the bleacher stairs.

Taylor wrapped her arms firmly around her best friend, both of the girls staring in numb horror toward where Ryan knelt next to his motionless teammate. Kirsten moved to stand beside the two girls who were equally dear to her, adding her own restraining embrace to Taylor's. Rhiannon's eyes were huge and frightened, her shoulders heaving up and down as she tiptoed precariously on the verge of hyperventilation.

Dean leaped the fence surrounding the field, bolting to his brother's side. "Sammy!" he shouted, fear making his heart pound too fast as he slid the last few feet on his knees.

Ryan was managing to keep his teammates away, insisting that someone "Call 911!" and "We can't move him! He could have injured his neck!"

Dean's eyes took in his brother's limp form, trying to decide the safest way to preform a quick triage. Sam lay sprawled on his belly, his head turned crookedly to the right. Dean's hands were practiced and careful as one hand probed gently for his brother's pulse while the other steaded Sam's head. The heartbeat pounded steadily against Dean's fingers, even if it was a bit too fast and too hard for Dean's liking. Dean's eyes were desolate as he looked back over his shoulder toward Sam's two favorite girls stood, waiting and worrying.

It was that brief glance, scared and worried even from so far away, that set Rhiannon off. She finally flipped out, losing even the fragile thread of control she'd held onto despite her hysteria. Her terrified, frantic screams of Sam's name rang through the stadium; Dean was actually surprised that his girlfriend's distress didn't have Sam already on his feet and rushing to her side. Ryan's worried glance toward him conveyed that his own thoughts were closely mirroring Dean's own. After a moment, her screams eased to keening cries. Someone had force-fed the distraught blond her meds but her fear for Sam retained a firm hold on her consciousness.

Looking up at Ryan, he spoke, "Wee need to roll him over. We need one more person . . . who do you trust?"

Ryan nearly protested, before seeing the calm terror in Dean's eyes. "Luke, we need you over here!" he called over his shoulder.

Luke and Chip had been haranguing Orsino, as Hastings violently lambasted her teammate. Luke left the job to Chip, and moved to Sam's side. "What can I do?"

"We're going to roll him. But we have to roll him together. Luke, you take his legs and Ryan you get his torso. I've got his neck," he ordered, placing his hands on each side of his little brother's neck. The heels of his palms pressed firmly against the bones of Sam's jaw, while the fingers spread around his throat like starfish. "Okay, on three. One . . . two . . . three."

The three boys moved simultaneously, rolling the unconscious 16 year old onto his back. Sam moaned lightly, his eyes starting to flutter. "Dean?" he asked, sounding a little dazed as he struggled to focus his eyes. Then Rhiannon's cries at last reached his ears and Sam's whole body stiffened. His eyes shot open, the pupils dilated and with a dull sheen that indicated he was only half-lucid. "Sadira!" he whispered urgently, as he struggled to sit up and go to her.

"Whoa, Geek-boy, lie still. You took a hefty knock to the head," Dean insisted, pushing Sam back to the grass effortlessly. "Be still!"

"But Sadira!" Sam protested, still only half-sane.

"Geek-girl is fine and she will be furious if I don't take care of you first. Taylor's with her, remember?"

Sam nodded, subsiding back against the grass. As he took a moment to take stock of himself, he groaned wretchedly. "Oh man . . . my head."

"I told you," Dean muttered, pulling a penlight from his pocket and flashing it into his brother's eyes. Sam flinched away instinctively, and Dean grunted. "Concussion. How's your back?"

Sam twisted carefully, hissing as a sharp pain ripped through his left side. "Ribs," he gasped, "Broken, I think."

Dean tested gently, cracking a half-smile as Sam moved restlessly away from the pressure. "Easy little brother," he soothed gruffly.

Sam subsided, before his concern for Rhiannon spiked again. "I need to see her, Dean. She needs to see that I'm okay. Help me up, please."

Dean nodded at Ryan and between the two, they managed to get the 6 foot teen to his feet. There was wild applause from both sides of the field as Sam was helped off the field, moving mostly under his own power. The coach crouched in front of his star, laying a hand on his knee. "You okay, Winchester?"

"I'm fine," Sam promised with a wan smile.

"He should be checked out by a doctor, though. I'm pretty sure he has a concussion," Dean refuted.

"Paramedics are on their way. You played a good game, kid."

Sam nodded miserably, disappointment over not being able to finish the game warring with anger at the guy who took him out. Looking up at Dean, he demanded, "Who hit me?"

"Our new friend, Mark, who else?"

Luke had gone to get Rhiannon and Taylor, and Sam's girls converged on him then. Rhiannon was sobbing as she threw her arms around her boyfriend's neck and buried her face in his shoulder. "Thank God!"

Sam's embrace was equally fierce as he buried his nose into the fragrant locks of her sunlit hair. "I'm okay, Sadira," he murmured, his hands smoothing over her shoulders tenderly.

She drew back, cupping his cheeks to get a really good look at him. There was a large bump where he'd been kicked just above his temple and there were bright flashes of lightning pain flaring across his gorgeous eyes as he fought against his sudden migraine in an attempt to ease her terror for him. "You're in pain, Sam; you're not okay," she scolded. "Stop being so noble."

Sitting on the bench beside him, she pulled him over so his head was in her lap. Sam sighed as her fingers once again found that pressure point under his hairline, at his nape, that eased the pain away. Her other hand was gentle in his hair and Sam found himself struggling to stay conscious. "Sadira . . . I can't fall asleep," he slurred, looking up at her with blurry eyes. "I have a concussion."

She smiled, bending to kiss him lightly. "I won't let you fall asleep, Sam, I promise."

Sam nodded, relieved, and just let her take care of him for a minute. The paramedics showed up at the same time Kirsten did. She drew her daughter to stand next to her, leaving them to do their jobs. Sam sat quiet while the paramedics did a thorough exam, at least until the lead paramedic announced that he was worried about the muscle sensitivity in Sam's neck, as well as the possibility of spinal injury and he wanted to put Sam under observation at the hospital. "No hospital!" Sam protested, eyes going wide in horror.

Kirsten spoke up, "Yes, a hospital. If the medic says you need to go, Sam, then you'll go."

"I don't have insurance and you know we're flat broke, Mrs C," Sam reminded his girlfriend's mother desperately.

"I'll take care of it, Sammy-honey."

"Mrs C, a hospital bill costs a helluva lot more than a few pairs of jeans!"

"Sam! You're going!" Kirsten insisted, eyes narrowed lightly and using the tone her "kids" knew demanded obedience.

"And she still wonders where their mantra 'Obey The Kirsten' was spawned from," Sandy mused with a silent chuckle.

"Yes ma'am," Sam mumbled, ducking his head meekly.

Rhiannon watched quietly, as the medics loaded Sam onto a gurney, letting him sit back against the propped up mattress. Sam's smile was small as he reached for her, letting his pounding head rest back as she moved to his side. "They probably won't let you ride in the ambulance, but Dean'll take you and Taylor to the hospital. Okay, Sadira?"

One of the medics, a pretty young woman with kind brown eyes, spoke up. "She can ride with you, if you want. Just her though, okay?"

"Thank you," Rhiannon replied, a small smile on her lips.

"Not a problem," she promised, watching the teenaged couple. "So you're Sam, and you are no doubt his very lovely girlfriend, . . . " the question dangled, obviously looking for an answer.

"People call me Stardust," Rhiannon answered shyly, letting her hair fall forward to hide her face.

Sam reached up carefully, to brush a platinum shank back behind her ear. "Don't do that, Sadira," he murmured, frowning at the return of her shy awkwardness.

"Sadira?"the woman asked, watching Sam wince at the sharp jolt of the gurney as it snapped up.

Sam's friends on the team – Ryan, Luke and a small handful of others – came over then, cutting off any reply Sam might have made. "Let Stardust take care of you for awhile, Sam. And don't worry about the game," Ryan warned, punching fists with Rhiannon's boyfriend.

My replacement's pretty green guys," Sam reminded them, punching fists with them all. "It'll be hard on him. You're gonna have to pick up the slack."

Luke spoke up. "Atwood said don't worry about it, Winchester, so don't. We'll take care of it."

Sam's fingers tightened fiercely around Rhiannon's sudden, as a sudden flash of lightning shot through his eyes and into his brain, bringing on a pain that upset the fragile balance between numbness and shocking agony in his head. Rhiannon's free hand threaded through the hair at the back of his head, massaging gently in an effort to soothe. Sam struggled to breathe through the pain, forcing his eyes to focus. "Shit . . . I can't see," he gasped, causing a flurry of sudden activity from the paramedics.

"We gotta go! Call the ER! Let them know we might have a cerebral hemorrhage," the lead EMT ordered, as Sam was laid flat.

Ryan watched his twin go ghastly pale, though Sam's obvious agony and his equal need for her seemed to keep her grounded. The kindly paramedic patted the gurney. "Jump on, sweetie. We'll move faster with you on here with him."

Rhiannon needed no further coaching, lying down beside Sam with every available curve molded to his body in an effort to let him know she was there. Behind them, Taylor was fighting to calm Dean, who was well and truly freaking out. "Give me the keys to the Impala, Dean, and we'll follow the ambulance to the hospital. Star's gonna need us."

Kirsten held out the beg with Rhiannon's meds. "Take this, you might need it." Taylor nodded miserably and took the bag, hoping to God that they wouldn't need it.

Ryan turned to look at Dean. "Go. We'll take care of this punk."

"Leave some for me, Ryan" Dean growled furiously, his ivy eyes on fire with the fury of retribution.

Ryan's smile was grim as he replied. "I'll try, but don't hold your breath."

Dean nodded and let Taylor herd him away toward the parking lot. Ryan turned to look at his foster parents. "You can go, if you want to . . . "

"No, Ryan, Sam has everyone he wants pulling for him. Besides, how often do I get to see a Cohen play sports?" Kirsten teased, the comment obviously directed at her not at all athletic husband and Seth. "Do your best and be careful." Kirsten insisted, desperate to kiss his cheek, but unwilling to put him on his guard. "Your father and I are going back to our seats. I love you."

Ryan's heart swelled but all he could manage was a small smile. Kirsten seemed to understand, returning the grin and turning away. Turning back to Luke, Ryan allowed his heart to go cold. "I think we need to put this kid away. What do you think?"

"Six feet under sound good enough to you?" Luke replied conversationally, "Hey, Winchester's gonna be okay."

"God, I hope so. I don't want to think about what Rhiannon will do without him."

"I'm surprised she didn't flip," Tallman snorted with an eyeroll, nudging Chip with a elbow as though sharing a private joke.

Ryan's eyes narrowed at his teammate. Sam had mentioned that Chip was one of his lead tormentors in the effort to impress the Queen Bee of Harbor School, Marissa Cooper, but it was Tallman who never seemed to stop making comments about Rhiannon, either good or bad. He let his lips curve upward into a half-assed smirk. "I'm not."

"Why didn't she?" Luke questioned quietly. He'd seen Rhiannon's panic attacks before and, in some cases, it didn't take much for her to have one . . . or at the very least start to have one.

"Sam needed her to be strong," was Ryan's only answer.

The first ten minutes after the ambulance pulled into the ER were torturous. X-Rays found a cranial bleed and Sam was rushed into emergency surgery. Rhiannon was left standing in the waiting room, determined to be strong for Sam, since Sam had always been so strong for her. She stayed motionless where she'd been left for what felt like either a moment or an eternity, before Dean's arm around her waist jarred her back to reality. "It's all right, Star-girl. It's just me," he soothed, guiding the shell-shocked teen toward a chair.

"Star-girl? You've never called me that before," Rhiannon informed him, a dazed look in her eyes. "What happened to 'Geek-girl'?"

"I just think this situation requires gentle handling than 'Geek-girl', Star," Taylor explained, with a telling look toward Dean.

Rhiannon blanched, even as her hands clenched fiercely in his jacket. "No! Gentle handling means that Sam's not gonna be okay. And he is! He's going to be just fine. He has to be!" she insisted, eyes going wide in easily recognizable panic.

Dean's arms tightened further around his little brother's girlfriend, trying to stave off the panic attack. "I know he is, Geek-girl, okay? Sam's gonna be just fine."

As if the nickname was some kind of on-off switch to Rhiannon's current state, the platinum haired girl calmed, sagging into Dean's arms. "He has to be okay, De, he just has to be," she whimpered as Dean sat down and pulled her into his lap.

Dean rocked her back and forth, like a father with a terrified child. "He's gonna be okay, Geek-girl. I promise."

Rhiannon completely broke down, clinging to her boyfriend's brother with single-minded determination. Taylor sat close, Dean's unoccupied arm reaching out to tuck her into his body. The three sat silent and scared for the rest of the afternoon and into the night, huddling together for comfort and drawing from each other for strength.

Meanwhile, Luke, Ryan and Harbor were trashing Illyria Prep. And everyone was gunning for the guy who took out their star. Sam may have been an outsider on the team who never quite fit in, but he was still their teammate. He worked hard, ran hard, and played hard. He was always the first to offer a hand to a fallen teammate and he'd led them to more than a few victories over the last two years. The move that took him down had been a low blow and Harbor School's soccer players were out for vengeance.

Sam had been right about his replacement. The back-up center forward was very green, a freshman who knew exactly how impossible it would be to fill Sam Winchester's shoes. Still, he had solid backup in his team. A team comprised of older, more experienced players who knew Sam and were determined to win the game in his honor. With less than ten minutes left to play, Harbor led with a score of 3 to 1. Ryan slammed into Mark at full speed once again, stealing the ball and taking it back down the field.

As he ran past the fallen player, Luke couldn't resist a small smirk. "How's the grass down there?" he taunted cruelly, before continuing down the field.

Duke Orsino and Viola Hastings stopped next to Mark and hauled him up. "Mark, you do know how to piss off all the wrong people," Viola snapped, just as Harbor's fans went crazy as Ryan Atwood was accredited with yet another goal. "What the hell were you thinking? Hitting the guy like that? You must have been out of your mind!"

Mark gave the two a small smile. "According to this guy I met last night, it's all gonna be worth it in the end."

"What guy?" Duke asked, eyes going narrow in curiosity.

"Said his name was Oliver," Mark said at the same moment Chip ran back toward the other side of the field.

Chip caught the name and furrowed his eyebrows, filing the name away and continuing the game. Luke and Ryan would take care of it when the game was over.

Harbor won the game and were awarded the national championship trophy. Luke accepted it with the Coach, holding it over his head and causing a riot amongst his teammates. "We did it, guys! We are the National Champs!" Glancing toward a quiet Ryan, he continued, "I think we should dedicate this win to Sam Winchester. He should be here with us right now. His talent and leadership helped us through an amazing season, culminating in the trophy I'm holding now. To Winchester!"

Ryan nodded in acknowledgment of the compliment, calling out, "To Sam!"

The rest of the team resounded the cheer, celebrating all the way to the locker rooms. They cheered as they stripped, showered and dressed. Ryan stood in jeans and boots, when Chip approached. "Atwood, you may want to know this."

Ryan picked up his t-shirt and asked, "Know what?"

"The guy who hit Winchester?"

Ryan turned to look at Chip, bringing Luke over as well. "What about him?"

"He met some guy named Oliver last night. Oliver's the one who told him to take out Winchester."

Ryan's shirt fluttered to the floor, and he dashed for the door with Luke and Chip hot on his heels. Illyria Prep was preparing to board the bus to go back home, when Ryan smashed into Mark and slammed him into the side of the bus. "Hey man! What the hell!?" Mark demanded, struggling against the other boy's firm grip and unmovable weight.

"Shut up," Ryan ordered, his Prussian blue eyes cold as ice as he slammed the other kid back again. "Oliver what?"

"Excuse me?"

"Easy Ryan. Your sister will freak if you get into any more fights," Luke coached, before turning back to Mark. "The kid you met last night? The one named Oliver? What was his last name?"

"Don't know. Didn't say. Prick manipulated me. Knew I'd never get to touch those girls."

Ryan's lips curled in fury at the offhanded remark, even as Luke continued. "What did he look like?"

"Dark hair and dark eyes. Rich punk, smirking like he knew a secret I didn't know."

"Congratulations dumbass! You just handed my baby sister to Oliver Trask on a silver platter! Without Sam to protect her, Oliver's got a clear shot!" Ryan roared, causing Mark to cower back against the bus in fear of Ryan's obvious rage.

"What are you talking about?" Orsino demanded, his eyes narrowing curiously.

Ryan dug in his jeans for his cell phone, leaving Luke to explain. "Oliver Trask has been stalking Rhiannon Atwood for awhile now. Sam, her boyfriend, and Ryan, her twin brother, have been the only people keeping Oliver completely at bay. With Ryan stuck at the game and Sam seriously injured, there's no one standing between them."

Ryan suddenly swore violently. "Stardust isn't picking up her phone, and I don't have Dean or Taylor's phone numbers."

"What about Sam's phone? Isn't it with his shit? Mrs Cohen's got Sam's duffel bag, right?" Chip inquired.

"Chip! You're brilliant!"

"Don't say that! You'll give me a complex," Chip joked, as the three took off toward where the Cohens were waiting for Ryan to come out. Orsino and Hastings, curious, followed.

"Ryan! Where is your shirt?" Kirsten demanded, at the sight of her bare-chested son.

"Where's Sam's phone? I need to call Taylor."

"Why?" Sandy asked suspiciously.

Ryan's temper was boiling and Luke stepped in to diffuse the situation. "Rhiannon's in trouble. Oliver's here."

"Oliver!?" Kirsten, Seth and Sandy all burst out simultaneously, confused as to why that makes sense.

Luke nodded. "Oliver's been stalking her and he manipulated a guy into getting Sam out of the way. He's here in Los Angeles and apparently Rhiannon's not answering her phone."

A light bulb went on over Kirsten then. Suddenly Ryan's fight with, and distrust of, Oliver made more sense. He'd been trying to protect his baby sister; it had been his job for so long, he didn't know how to ask for help with it. And, even though they hadn't had all the information about what was going on, Sandy and Kirsten had still treated him as though he was a juvenile delinquent. They hadn't listened to him, they hadn't trusted him, they hadn't even tried to understand where he might have been coming from. She fought to smile, even as she felt motherly shame burn hot in her cheeks. "Don't worry about digging for Sam's phone. I have Dean's phone number."

It had been nearly four hours since Sam had been rushed into surgery and he had just been moved into recovery. Rhiannon stood beside his bed, holding his hand as the anesthesiologist worked on waking him up. Bending, she pressed a sweet kiss to his skin just below the bandage wrapped around his head. "Come on, baby, wake up . . . for me," she murmured against his skin. "I love you."

Sam's fingers flinched in her own, causing a bright smile. "That's it, Sam. Come on back to me. Let me see those gorgeous green eyes."

Sam's eyelids fluttered even as he whimpered, "Sadira?"

"Yeah, Sammy-honey, it's me. Open your eyes."

Sam's whole body was eloquent with the struggle it took to open his eyes. "Sadi . . . " he slurred, his green eyes dazed and confused as he stared up at her blurry face. "Wha' 'appened?"

"It doesn't matter," she sobbed, her lips pressing frightened kisses to every square inch of his face. "It doesn't matter now. All that matters is that you're okay. You're gonna be just fine."

Sam nodded, his eyes slipping closed again. Rhiannon let out a sob, burying her face between his neck and shoulder. "I love you, Sam. God, I love you."

His hand never left hers, even as they transferred him to a bed in the ICU ward. His doctors were pretty sure that he'd be fine, bouncing up to a regular ward in a day or two, but the head trauma had been severe and it was better to be safe that sorry. Under the influence of some pretty good drugs, Sam was in and out a lot for those first few hours. Still, Rhiannon's heart soared every time his eyes fluttered open, locking on her face as he smiled and murmured, "Sadi," before slipping back to sleep. She wasn't sure exactly when "Sadira" had become "Sadi" but she wasn't going to ask about it now.

Dean and Taylor were another constant presence. Dean's quiet overprotectiveness and Taylor's constant, comforting chatter filled the room with a feeling of safety and familiarity that eased Rhiannon's frazzled nerves. She slipped in and out of sleep almost as easily as Sam, her head resting on the beside their entwined fingers and her free hand twisted fiercely into the cloth of Sam's hospital gown. It was almost 8 o'clock when Dean shook her shoulder. "Geek-girl?" he whispered, trying to wake Rhiannon but not Sam.

Rhiannon stirred sleepily, looking up at him in a questioning murmur. "De?"

"Yeah, Taylor and I are gonna go get some coffee from the cafeteria. You want a Dr Pepper or Mountain Dew? Anything?"

"A Dr Pepper, please? And something to eat that doesn't taste like cardboard?"

"Sure thing, Geek-girl," Dean chuckled, pressing a brotherly kiss to the center of her forehead. "Keep good watch, huh?"

Rhiannon gave him a sleepy smile and nodded. "Of course."

"Good girl. We'll be back," he promised, reaching back to grab Taylor's hand as they left. Rhiannon smiled at the easy way their fingers interlaced, probably without them even realizing it.

She turned back to the bed, smiling at the sight of Sam's eyes, open and lucid. "Hey you."

"Hi," he murmured, a dopey smile on his face that was no doubt a result of the drugs the doctors had him on. "How you?"

"I'm not the one who just had brain surgery," she teased, moving to sit on the bed beside him as she smoothed her fingers lightly over the contours of his face. "How's your head?"

Sam's eyebrows furrowed adorably as he obviously had to seriously examine the question. Finally giving it up as a bad job, he shrugged one shoulder lightly. "I guess it's okay," he answered, eyes starting to drift again already. "So tired."

"Sleep my love. You're safe here."

"But wha' 'bout you, Sadi?" he protested.

"Dean's keeping a close eye on me and besides we're in a hospital. What's the worst that could happen?"

"Famous last words," he slurred, before the tug of unconsciousness became too much and he once again surrendered to its pull.

From the door, an oily black voice spoke. "Famous last words indeed. Hello Rhiannon."

Rhiannon's eyes flew open wide and she whirled to face the door. Oliver Trask stood there, a gun in one hand and pointed – to Rhiannon's abject horror – at a sleeping Sam. "Unless you want me to shoot him, you're going to come with me and you're not going to make any fuss. Understood?"

She nodded, extracting herself from Sam as gently as she could even as she bent to kiss him goodbye. "I love you, Sam, and I'm sorry."

Coming to stand in front of Oliver, she flinched as he took her arm in a harsh, bruising grip. In an effort to protect Sam and keep him asleep for as long as he could sleep, Rhiannon stifled her cry as he wrenched her around and dragged her out of the room. "Why are you doing this?" she whimpered.

"You are the brightest star in Newport's sky, Stardust," Oliver gushed, his half-crazed eyes scaring as he pulled her along. What she wouldn't have given for a panic attack then, to call some attention to what was happening. Unfortunately, she'd been popping her meds like they were candy since Sam had been taken into surgery and there was too much of the calming agent in her system to allowed her the rescue of flipping out. Oliver continued with his explanation, oblivious to her distress. "You deserve the best of everything, Rhiannon. Your white trash boyfriend . . . "

Furious on Sam's behalf, she leaped to her boyfriend's defense, "Sam is **NOT** white trash!"

Oliver railroaded over her protests as though she'd never spoken. " . . . and your juvenile delinquent brother can't give you that. But I can, Stardust! I can give you the world!"

"I don't want the world, Oliver. I want what I have. My mom and dad; Ryan, Seth, Taylor, Sam and Dean."

Almost as if his name had summoned him, Dean appeared around the corner. His favorite mother-of-pearl handled Beretta was in his palm and pointed at Oliver, fire in his eyes as he shouted, "Get the hell away from her, Trask!"

Oliver growled and shoved Rhiannon into a room, causing a small scream as she fell into the room and hit her knees. The door slammed shut and Oliver threw the lock. Rhiannon almost choked on hysterical laughter as Dean let out a litany of both English and Latin swear words that would have made a sailor blush. She was pretty sure Sam had taught him the Latin ones; the English ones were all Dean. The door shuddered in its frame as Dean kicked it, trying to get in. "Rhiannon!" he bellowed, furious with himself for leaving her alone and with Oliver for taking advantage of the opportunity.

"Dean, please," she begged, shrinking back against the wall in an effort to present a smaller target as Oliver ranted and raged about the downward spiral of his plan, pacing across the room while he waved the gun around.

The door shuddered with each kick but hospitals were made to be sturdy and Rhiannon began to fear that she was going to die in this room, locked away from everyone she loved by a madman with a gun. Just then, there was another shout of her name, the voice as familiar as her own . . . the voice of the one person in her life who had, in his own way, never let her down. "Ryan!" she screamed, suddenly wanting her twin brother to hold her more than anything she'd ever wanted before. Oliver swore, taking a swing at her to shut her up. He missed, but Rhiannon let out a reflexive shriek regardless.

"Rhiannon! Calm down!" Ryan ordered briskly through the door, knowing from the sound that his sister was starting to lose her grip on reality. "I'm coming, okay? I'm coming, I promise."

"Ryan, he's got a gun!"

There was a long silence, before both Ryan and Dean swore violently. Dean finally stopped kicking the door, dropping onto his haunches and pulling a lock pick kit out of his back pocket. Taking out what he needed, he set to work on the door, all the while wishing that Sam was there. Sam had always been better at the lock picking part of the job. Ryan could hear Oliver yelling at Rhiannon for telling him about the gun and he could feel his twin's growing anxiety. Dean had told him about Rhiannon's constant pill popping, but Ryan had learned young how to read her silence as easily as he had ever heard the things she said out loud. He could feel a panic attack tugging at his twin, but whether or not it would be enough to frighten Oliver into releasing her was another question altogether. "Close your eyes, Stardust. Close your eyes and think of Sam . . . that New Year's Eve night you spent together . . . the weekend at the Links in Palm Springs . . . Christmukkah . . . just think about Sam, and I'm going to get you out of this. I promise."

Rhiannon bit down on a sob, burying her face in her knees and trying to block out the world. Instead, she tried to remember the happiest night of her life. The picnic she and Sam had shared under the fireworks on New Year's Eve, and the feel of Sam's strong arms around her, holding her tight against the evening's chill and protecting her from the evils in the dark that plagued Sam's nightmares. The shine of the lights in that bedazzling sky reflecting off the green of his eyes and flashing across his face in random splashes of color. If she just closed her eyes tight enough and tried to tune out the sounds of the world, she was back there again; that perfect, light-filled night when Sam first told her that he loved her.

Oliver swore at the sudden silence, broken only by the quiet snicks indicating that Dean had abandoned kicking the door down in favor of picking the lock instead. Wrenching her from her corner knocked Rhiannon from her comforting daydream and she screamed, the panic catching up to her at last.

The door flew open then and Ryan was the first one through the door, his blue eyes steel-cold despite the healthy dose of fear that he was hiding deep in his heart, Dean and Taylor only a half-step behind him. Rhiannon was lost to her panic, screaming and thrashing against Oliver's ironclad embrace, her eyes crazed and hazy as though she wasn't really there . . . was lost in the terror that consumed her. Ryan growled at the sight, knowing that there would be bruises on her arms come morning. "You want to let my sister go right now, or I swear to God I'm going to take great pleasure in killing you with my bare hands."

"You're in no position to negotiate, Atwood," Oliver taunted, though it was obvious he was struggling to keep his grip on the thrashing teen. "Look what you've done to her! Her star is falling, and it's all because of you and those damned Winchester brothers!"

"I'm not the one holding her against her will and at gunpoint, Oliver," Ryan argued quietly. "Look, you'll never take her out of her alive, unless you plan to go through my very dead, stone cold body, so just let her go. She needs her meds and she needs to rest. Most of all, she needs Sam."

"I love her!" Oliver burst out.

"No, Sam loves her. He'd give everything and anything for her. There's nothing he wouldn't do to make her happy, be it lying, cheating, killing or stealing," the younger boy murmured calmly, as though it was a fact in which he had complete faith.

"I could give her everything she's ever wanted; money, diamonds, nice clothes, Paris, London, Rome. What can that white trash, piece of shit give her?"

Ryan waved Dean off even as the almost 21 year old moved to retaliate on his baby brother's behalf. "Materialistically, the most he can give is a shiny diamond ring several years down the road. Realistically, even less than that. But he can give her himself. His respect, his understanding, his patience, his protection, his body, his soul . . . but most importantly, he's given her his love, his whole heart, which is all she's ever wanted anyway." There was a pause as Ryan cautiously moved deeper into the room. "She loves that 'white trash, piece of shit' Oliver. You can't buy my sister's heart; her love has already been given, completely and without restraint." Another pause as Ryan took another step toward the two. "Give her to me, Oliver, and all of this will just be over. You need help, that's all. I hold no ill-will and Rhiannon is just too good to be able to hate anyone."

Ryan's hands were on a calming Rhiannon, pulling her back to his chest as Oliver suddenly spoke. "Stardust, I'm sorry," was all he said, before he put the gun to his head and pulled the trigger in a move to fast to anticipate.

Rhiannon's eyes widened in horror as blood and grey matter splattered over the floor and across her shirt. She touched a droplet in a shocked daze, before she began to scream anew. Dean tucked his gun into the back of his jeans and moved to scoop her up, out of a shell-shocked Ryan's arms, and turning toward the exit. Doctor's rushed to see if they could save the boy, and security began to clear the room. "Tay, get Ryan out of here," Dean ordered, knowing that Sam was the only one who could help Rhiannon now.

Sam was awake in his room, and fighting his nurses. Oliver's hadn't been able to get very far before Dean had cornered him and Sam had clawed back to lucid consciousness at the sounds of his girlfriend's terrified screams. Currently, the nurses were trying to get restraints around his wrists to keep the struggling teenager in his bed, while Sam was struggling like hell to get to his girlfriend's side. Dean strode in then with Rhiannon in his arms, blasting his brother with a harsh order, "Stay the fuck in bed, and lie the fuck still, Samuel James Winchester! Geek-girl needs you right now, so quit the fit. The rest of you get out!" The nurses balked about being ordered about in their own hospital, while Sam was simply following his brother's orders and fighting to calm down for Rhiannon's sake. Dean lost patience two seconds later, roaring, "NOW!"

Rhiannon whimpered at the anger in his voice, settling slightly as the sound of Sam's voice leaked past her panic attack. Sam reached for her body as the women fled, his hands grasping for her frantically as he felt his own heart start to race at every terrified sound. "Easy Sammy, don't hurt yourself," Dean soothed, even as he lowered the whimpering young woman into her boyfriend's arms.

Sam locked her to him, one huge hand palming her hip in a familiar grip as the fingers of the other threaded into her hair and anchored her head under his chin. "It's all right now, Sadira. You're safe now, Sadi, I promise. I love you, baby; I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you. But I'm here now, and I won't let anything happen to you, I promise. Come back to me, Sadira; please come back."

It was a constant mantra through the night and it was a long time before Rhiannon calmed enough that she could sleep. It was an even longer night for everyone who loved her, as they watched her toss and turn through nightmare after nightmare from her place by Sam's side. Lost in her nightmares, only Sam's voice seemed to calm her, as she endured through being back in Chino, Oliver's suicide, her molestation by Mike, her brother's abuse at the hands of her mother's various boyfriends and her all consuming fear of Dawn's latest boyfriend AJ.

All of the progress she'd accomplished had been destroyed in one foul swoop but Sam refused to let it beat them.

He refused to let it beat her.


	11. A Newport Valentines

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it.

Summary: Sam's released from the hospital, someone's cherry is popped, Taylor teases Dean as he defines their relationship, and Newport Beach celebrates Cupid's favorite holiday.

Enjoy!

Chapter 11

Sam was in ICU for the next two days, before being transferred to a step down unit for the next week, with Rhiannon, Dean and Taylor a near constant presence at his side. Though it killed Dean to leave his little brother at the hospital with only Rhiannon for company, it also killed him to waste the Metallica concert tickets that his brother had bought him for his birthday. He took Taylor with him, for their very first date, complete with dinner and a good night kiss at the end. Sam and Rhiannon were asleep and curled up together when they returned to the hospital, but that didn't stop Taylor from shaking her best friend awake with the whispered news of, "Dean kissed me!"

Rhiannon giggled along with her best friend, making the other girl promise to tell her all about it in the morning. Taylor nodded and the two girls hugged, before the pretty auburn haired spitfire laid down on the couch beside Dean and fell happily to sleep. Dean laid awake all night, one hand on his gun, determined to protect the three teenagers from anyone and anything that sought to hurt them. The next morning, Dean went to get coffee – and a Dr. Pepper for Rhiannon – for everybody, leaving Taylor behind to gush all about the previous night to her best friends, while they teased her mercilessly.

Immediately after Oliver's suicide, Rhiannon once again became the top concern of her parents, her brothers and her friends. Those first few days they all treated her like she was made of spun-glass – fragile, delicate and easily shattered. Her boyfriend, however, took a different tack. He treated her as he always had; as a sweet girl in need of his protection, as an intelligent young woman who had faced constant horrors and come out scarred, and as the singular Great Love of his life. And under Sam's familiar nurturing, Rhiannon once again began to flourish. She literally bloomed under his touch, growing past what Oliver had done and what she'd seen, and even further into the person she had begun to be. She still had nightmares, but Sam figured that they, at least, were allowed. Sam had nightmares of his own, and was not going to be the one to tell her not to be afraid of the dark.

Eventually Taylor, Dean and Ryan picked up the same idea and, once Sam was released from the hospital and they were all back at Harbor, things started to return to what passed for normal in Orange County.

Considering that Ryan had been right about Oliver, Harbor forgave the suspension and wiped any mention of it from his record. Luke and Chip began to spread the story of what had happened, leaking that Marissa Cooper had been the one to bring "that psycho Oliver" to Harbor. Used to following their royalty where they led, Harbor's students began to realize that Marissa was not the sterling example of young womanhood that she'd led them all to believe her to be. When Ryan publicly and consistently shunned her company at school in favor of his sister's, "Terminal Taylor" Townsend's and eccentric Anna Stern's, the rest of the Harbor elite did the same. Even Summer Roberts, Marissa's longtime best friend, turned on her the first time Marissa said something nasty about Ryan and Rhiannon's brother – and Summer's beloved boyfriend – Seth Cohen. She lost her place as Harbor's Social Chair to Taylor Townsend and soon Marissa was friendless and without most of her usual fan club, alone with her drugs and her flask.

Almost overnight, the Geek Squad became the social group to be seen with on campus. Ryan and Seth, trying to atone for their previous transgressions, took to spending a lot of their time on campus with their sister. Summer, newly best friendless and totally in love with Seth, joined their circle as well, and found that she had a lot in common with Rhiannon, Taylor and Anna. As for Anna herself, she seemed to understand that Ryan needed time to sort out his own thoughts and his feelings over everything that had happened since he came to Newport Beach, CA. The two teenagers were flirting but little more than that. Of Marissa, none of them spoke.

To say it unsettled Sam to be the sudden focus of the school's attention was an understatement at the very least. His family was used to working in the shadows and having everyone know his face was disconcerting. His father was furious over Sam's sudden popularity and the tension in the Winchester house finally reached a breaking point. Dean had done as he'd promised, and vouched to their father for his brother's right to run track. Combined with track, soccer and Rhiannon, Sam's popularity became the straw that broke the camel's back. Sam spent a week sharing Rhiannon's king-sized bed at the Cohen's, waiting for his head to heal enough to handle the constant migraine the fights caused and for his father's temper to cool enough that he could go back home.

One morning while Sam was staying at the Cohen place, Kirsten came skipping into the kitchen, shooting a foam arrow out of a gaily decorated child's bow at her husband. The usual crew, minus Dean, were sitting at the table, laughing and enjoying the peach torte that Taylor had made in celebration of Sam getting out of the hospital, before rounding at Sandy's surprised cry. Staring at his foster mother, Ryan cocked an eyebrow and couldn't keep his mouth shut. "What is up with you?"

Kirsten reloaded her bow and shot one at her son, hitting him square in the shoulder. "I hope you know where your good suit is, Ryan-honey."

Ryan scowled. "I'm not going to a Valentine's Day Newpsie party, Kirsten."

"Oh yes, you are, because this 'Valentine's Day Newpsie party' is a singles benefit, which means it's for charity," Kirsten scolded, frowning at her foster son.

"You know who created Valentine's Day, right, honey?" Sandy asked looking bemused by the whole process.

"St. Valentine," Kirsten protested, over which Sandy spoke, "Hallmark and the chocolate companies."

Kirsten's eyes narrowed at her husband and she spoke up before Rhiannon could correct her foster father's assertion, "Either way, I'm the one in charge of planning this thing, so if you all don't attend, it will look very bad for me."

"And who am I going to take?"

"You don't have to take anyone. It's a _singles_ benefit."

"That's lame," Ryan huffed. "Seth's taking Summer and Rhiannon'll go with Sam. Hell even 'Terminal Taylor' is going to have a date!"

At the persistent nickname, his sister burst out in protest. "Stop calling her that!" Rhiannon ordered fiercely, punching her twin hard in the point of the shoulder.

"Ow! Stardust!" Ryan yelped, one hand flashing to cradle the abused limb.

"And actually, Dean will be on a job from the 14th to the 16th; so no, Tay doesn't have a date," Sam refuted quietly, his voice low in due deference to the migraine pounding merrily at his temples. It had been a near constant souvenir from his surgery and, though the doctor had told him it was normal, it was also exhausting. Sam couldn't wait till it was gone and he could sleep for a solid week.

"And what about Anna?" Taylor asked, cocking her head. She'd thought that the two teenagers were getting closer lately.

"She's going back to Pittsburgh for awhile."

"So take Taylor. You're friends, kinda, so it'll all work out," Rhiannon chirped, even as she eyed her too-pale boyfriend with concern.

"Everything just works out in your perfect little world, doesn't it, Stardust?" Ryan teased.

"Always," Rhiannon giggled with a quirky smile and a sly wink. Glancing at Sam as he lifted one hand to pinch the bridge of his nose between his eyes, she frowned as concern

ratcheted up to become full-blown panic. "Sam, honey, are you okay? What's wrong?"

"My head hurts," he murmured, leaning over to rest his forehead into the crook of his girlfriend's arm. "It's just been a bad day. I have a vicious migraine."

Rhiannon felt the corners of her mouth tugged further down as her fingers laced familiarly through the silken strands of his hair. "Do you want a painkiller? You have some Vicodin left."

"No. Hydrocodones mess with my head," Sam insisted, squeezing his eyes tighter closed.

"Your migraine is messing with your head," Seth argued lightly under his breath, getting a fierce glare from both Rhiannon and Taylor.

"Shut up, Sethula," Rhiannon growled, her eyes narrowing as she vowed all manners of sisterly retribution if he didn't zip his lips.

Taylor snorted and continued where her best friend left off. "Seriously, Seth; I know you have a problem of talking too much, but now would be the time to shut up."

Kirsten crouched on the other side of Sam's chair, reaching up to check for a fever. Obviously relieved at whatever she'd found, she squeezed his knee lightly in comfort. "How about an ibuprofen, Sam? You've got some of the prescription strength ones left in the medicine cabinet too. They'd help," Kirsten asked, getting a shake of the head in reply even as she spoke.

"No thank you, Mrs. C. I just want to sit here with my girlfriend and not move," Sam insisted, nuzzling his nose further into Rhiannon's skin.

"How about we move to my room instead? The bed is bound to be a lot more comfortable than the kitchen chairs, huh?" Rhiannon soothed, flicking icy blue eyes at her brothers to stop whatever teasing Seth had been about to unleash.

Sam's jaw visibly tightened and no one was surprised at the stubborn, blunt force of his answer. "I said no."

Rhiannon recognized the irritated undertone in her boyfriend's voice and nodded. It took

a lot for Sam to get bullish with her; if he was complaining about the pain, then it was time for her to take the responsibility for himself out of his own hands. "Baby, are you seeing those stars that your doctor warned you about?"

"No, nothing like that, Sadira. I just have a migraine and I feel a little nauseous."

"Why don't you want to go upstairs?"

"The light makes my head hurt."

"Then keep your eyes closed," Rhiannon drawled lightly, pulling her considerably taller boyfriend out of his chair and to his feet, looping one arm around his waist.

Sam's eyes squeezed tightly closed, even as he swayed slightly, his equilibrium thrown off. One long arm looped around his girlfriend's shoulders and he leaned on her lightly. Taylor watched her best friends, before asking, "Should I call Dean?"

Rhiannon's "Yes," mingled with Sam's "No."

Taylor cocked her head in question. "Is that a 'yes' or a 'no' guys?"

Rhiannon's hand came up to fold over Sam's mouth as he moved to protest. "That's a yes, Samuel James. Your brother is climbing the walls, worrying about you all the time. Especially since he's at the apartment with your dad and you're here. It's your brother's life long mission to look after you; let him, just this once," she scolded fondly, even as she manhandled him toward the stairs. "Keep your eyes closed."

Sam grumbled under his breath, though he did as he was told with relief. Even as he muttered, he felt his heart swell with her fierce protectiveness. Since Dean had dropped him off at the Cohens' after the blowout with his dad, Rhiannon had devoted herself to him one hundred percent. She scolded her brothers for playing their video games too loud when he had a migraine; she ordered all of his favorite take-out foods to try and tempt him to eat and regain some of his previous strength; she sat with him and held him steady when his headaches got so bad he could barely find the strength to pay due homage to the porcelain gods; she always seemed to know when he was hurting, even when he wouldn't admit it to himself. She knew when he was cranky and when to back off. She knew when he was sick enough that it was okay to supplant her will over his and also when he was well enough that it wasn't. She had become his angel and he completely adored her for it.

He stumbled along beside her up the stairwell as she guided him toward her room. Sitting him on the edge of the bed, Rhiannon's hands were infinitely gentle as they stripped his flannel off his shoulders and tugged his sneakers from his feet. "Sadi," he murmured, eyes firmly closed even as he reached blindly for her face.

Rhiannon smiled up at him, kneeling up to put her face between his palms. "You're all right, Sam. I've got you. Just lie back, okay?"

"What about you?" he whimpered, even as she guided him onto his back. "Don't leave me. Please."

"Lie still. I'll be right back," she soothed, smoothing back his hair tenderly.

Disappearing into her bathroom, she soaked a cloth in cool water and returned to her boyfriend's side. Folding it over his forehead, she climbed onto the bed beside him and cuddled close. "Sleep, Sam. You deserve a little peace. I'll protect you."

Sam let out a low chuckle, as he hugged her tighter to him. "Isn't that my job?"

"You can hand over the torch just this once," she giggled, perching up to press a kiss to the underside of his chin. "Sleep! I mean it!"

"Yes ma'am," Sam teased, burying his nose in her platinum hair and settling deeper into the pillows. It was a long time before Sam's voice mumbled again, "Sadira?"

"Yeah Sam?" she asked in a quiet undertone.

"Will you be my Valentine?"

Rhiannon smiled, her head nodding against his t-shirt clad chest. "I'd like nothing more than to be your Valentine, Sammy-honey."

Sam's lips curved into a lazy, sleepy grin. "Good."

She allowed her own eyes to slip closed. "I love you. Sleep."

Sam mumbled something unintelligible, before his breathing completely leveled out and Sam fell asleep. Rhiannon smiled lightly and snuggled closed, falling into oblivion only a breath later.

Dean arrived at the Cohen house half an hour later, smiling at the sight of Taylor answering the door. Her eyes sparkling and she cocked one hip, one hand resting on the door frame and one on her hip. "Well hello stranger," she teased, cocking her head.

Dean chuckled, stepping forward to kiss her quickly. "How's the Sasquatch?"

"Star took him upstairs to rest," she replied, her eyes sparkling up at him as she cuddled close to him. "He's got a nasty headache."

"Any stars?"

"Other than his 'starchild'? No," she conceded with a sly smirk. "Just pounding pain in his temples."

"Has he been getting enough sleep?"

Cocking an eyebrow at his worried questions, she started to laugh. "You know, he calls you a mother hen," Taylor teased, suddenly understanding where the comment came from.

"Don't believe a thing a concussed Sammy tells you," Dean ordered, trying fruitlessly to salvage his "bad ass, bad boy" reputation.

"I don't need to listen to him to realize he's right."

Dean frowned at her response, folding his arms over his chest. "I raised him, Tay. From the time my mom died, I have given everything for him. And I was 4 when Mom died."

Taylor nodded, hugging him tightly. "I know how much Sam means to you, Dean. And I know how fiercely Sam loves you. You don't need to justify yourself to me, Dean . . . honest."

Dean dropped his chin onto her topknot, holding her close to him. "I thought I'd lost him. I thought he was gonna die and I was going to loose the one thing constant in my life."

Taylor closed her eyes and clung to him tighter. "No matter what happens between us, Dean, I'm here. Always and forever."

Dean smiled and pulled back a bit, coaxing her lips to part for him. "Thank you, Val."

"Val?" she asked with a cocked eyebrow.

Dean's usual grin was decidedly sheepish and worried as he explained, "Short for Valentine?"

Taylor grinned up at him, her eyes sparkling. "So there is a romantic heart thumping around in there somewhere!"

Dean shrugged backwards, desperate to try and regain his hard won reputation. "There is not! I have a strict 'no chick flick' policy, woman. Romance is all Sam."

"Don't worry, Winchester, your secret is safe with me," the pretty redhead promised, a flash of laughter in her eyes as he watched her.

Dean glared down at her, even as he pressed her closer, "You're going to tell Sam the second he wakes up, aren't you?"

"Oh, absolutely," she cackled wickedly, before the sound was muffled as Dean growled and hauled her up to his lips. Dean didn't even put up a token resistance to her diabolical plan, kissing her as though she was the air he needed to breathe. Taylor sighed, looping her arms up around his neck and giving him everything he was asking for.

Kirsten chuckled as she ducked back into the kitchen, amused by how easily the Winchester brothers always capitulated to their girls. "Dean's here," she told her husband, still chuckling as she kissed his cheek.

"I thought Sam was sleeping."

"He is, but Taylor will keep Dean amused for awhile. I think they're dating or something."

Sandy cocked an eyebrow at the news. He liked the 21 year old, but Taylor was as dear to him as a daughter. "Isn't Dean a little old for her? She's 16 . . . he's 21."

"Maybe he is and maybe he isn't. Either way, have you seen how happy he makes her? How confident she becomes? He's good for her and Sam'll hurt him if he ever hurts her."

Sandy smiled lightly as he was forced to concede the point. "Good point."

Dean ended up staying the night, the four friends camped out in Rhiannon's room. Sam snuggled close to his girlfriend's pillow, watching as she stared out the window toward Ryan's pool house. Dean and Taylor had gone to get something for them all from the kitchen, and the couple was alone. "Penny for your thoughts?" he asked, voice quiet so as not to startle her.

"Marissa's here, in the pool house with Ryan."

Sam could feel the frown tugging at his lips, as he sat up gingerly. He didn't have a headache for the first time in two weeks and he was reluctant to tempt fate. "She's what?!"

Rhiannon's eyes were sad as she turned back to her boyfriend. "I'm worried, Sam. Regardless of everything she's done, my brother still cares about her. Not to mention, Ryan's hero complex."

"I thought Ryan had a thing for Anna now. He's not gonna do anything that could screw that up," the tall teen soothed, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and standing easily. "Ryan is nothing if not honorable."

Rhiannon nibbled on her lower lip as Sam came to stand with her. "Yeah, I know that. But I'm not worried about Ryan; I trust him to do the right thing. I do not, however, trust Marissa to even know what the right thing is."

Sam's arms were a comforting weight about her shoulders as he held her tightly to him. Dean and Taylor came back then, interrupting whatever Sam might have said, and Rhiannon promptly forgot Marissa at the sight of the movie in Taylor's hands. "Ooh! 'The Notebook'!"

"No way!" came the immediate protest from the brothers.

The looks on Taylor's and Rhiannon's faces were sly as they sneaked a quick glance at each other before rounding on their boys. Taylor's pout and Rhiannon's wide blue puppy eyes were effective battering rams to their boyfriends' defenses. "Please!?" they both begged together, putting just the right amount of whine and pleading into the words in order to sway their boyfriends to their thinking.

Dean groaned as though he was dying, but Sam could only sigh. "I am lodging a formal protest. Next movie is Dean's pick, deal?"

"Deal!" both squealed, before Taylor rushed to put the movie into Rhiannon's DVD player.

Both boys sprawled out on the bed, letting their girlfriends cuddle close as the movie began. It was like this that Kirsten found the four of them the next morning. Smiling, she retrieved several afghans from the hall closet and draped them over the four. Sam stirred sleepily, murmuring, "Mrs. C?"

"Ssh Sam. How's your head?" she asked quietly, one hand smoothing through his hair in order to keep him as close to sleep as possible.

"No headache," he murmured, eyes fluttering as his body fell back toward sleep.

"Good . . . go back to sleep."

"Kay," he yawned, hugging Rhiannon's compliant body tighter to him. "My Sadira."

Kirsten couldn't suppress a tiny giggle at the teenager's sheer adorableness. "Yes, Sammy-honey, your Sadira. Sleep," she ordered, smiling at the protectiveness evident in both his embrace and his tone. Bending, she pressed a maternal kiss to the top of his shaggy head and to her daughter's cheek. Rhiannon shifted slightly but settled without waking as Sam's lips buried in her hair. "Night, Mrs. C," he murmured, as he slipped back to sleep.

"Good night, Sam . . . sweet dreams, honey," she replied, disappearing from the room again.

Later that morning, Ryan sat on his bed in the pool house, staring into space as he thought about the previous night. He'd sent Marissa away, despite her desperate attempts to get him back and into bed with her. He looked up as the door creaked open quietly, his little sister's face appearing in the crack. "Hey you," he teased, relieved to see her wide grin in return.

"Hey," she chirped, skipping in and taking a seat in an armchair.

"Where's your shadow?" he teased, just to see her squirm and blush.

Rhiannon's eyes narrowed, even as she blushed, and she growled, "Sam is not my shadow. He's still asleep; so are Dean and Tay."

"Dean stayed the night?" Ryan blurted surprised. Sam had said that Dean was going away on a job the night before. It surprised the elder twin that the elder Winchester brother had ditched it.

"Mmhmm," she hummed, before Seth burst into the room, interrupting her twin's questioning.

Seth didn't even notice her, announcing nonchalantly, "Hey buddy. I got some _**big **_news."

Ryan shot a look at his twin, and nodded in silent reply to her curious grin. Turning back to Seth, he countered, "I was about to go set up for the party. Are you coming?"

Seth's arm waved in a slapdash manner as he shook his head. "It's a whole lot of heavy lifting. Really not my thing. And I don't know if I just mentioned this, but I have some _**BIG**_ news."

"Yeah I heard. So what's up?"

"Well Ryan, I am a man now. And not just like an after-your-bar-mitzvah man but a 'man' man." Pumping his hand in the air, he cheered, "I had sex with a girl! Summer to be more specific."

Rhiannon snorted lightly on her quiet giggles at the news but Ryan's mouth curved into a small, sly smile. "Yeah!? How was it?"

Seth's face was classic and he reiterated stubbornly, "I had _sex_."

Now Rhiannon's giggles were out in full force as Ryan commiserated, "That bad, huh?"

Finally noticing his sister's presence, Seth rounded on her. "Stardust, can't you go bug someone else? We're having a talk, Mano-y-Mano."

"I was here first, Sethula, talking to my brother. You're the one who interrupted us. So I can listen in all I want," she chuckled, sticking out her tongue at the eldest of the three and looking all of five years old what with the way her hair had been pulled up into two adorable pigtails.

Ryan spoke up then, recapturing Seth's attention, "So it was that bad, huh?"

Seth promptly forgot his sister's teasing and rounded to correct his brother's assumption, "No, not that bad . . . just kind of weird?"

Ryan moved up the stairs and to his kitchen, turning back at the description. "Weird?"

"Yeah, but not like kinky weird," Seth said, causing Rhiannon's giggles to explode into full force laughter. Sending her an evil glare which did nothing to cease her chortling and in fact only made it worse, Seth continued, "More like weird awkward. But hey, it was my first time. She's an experienced woman. That's to be expected. And I did make some faces in the middle that I wish I could take back, but I can't. There was also this sort of whiny noise that came out towards the end, that probably wasn't my finest hour." There was a pause as Seth considered, before bursting out, "I sucked so bad. I was like a fish flopping around on dry land. Ryan, I was Nemo. And I just wanted to go home." Now Rhiannon snorted hard, sounding as though she was wheezing to death through her laughter, earning herself a death glare from the older of the two boys. "Don't you have a boyfriend to pester and annoy or something?"

"Why would I want to do that when this conversation is so very entertaining?" she asked innocently, batting those long blond lashes at him prettily, before her fierce protectiveness over her boyfriend's health cropped up again and she insisted severely, "Besides, Sam is actually, honest-to-God sleeping for the first time in like two weeks. I'm going to let him sleep as long as he wants. Mom said she woke him on accident this morning, and he didn't have a headache, so asleep he'll remain. If only to keep him headache-free for a little while longer today."

Seth gave a long-suffering sigh, before turning back to Ryan once more. For his part, Ryan was kind of feeling like a bobble-head doll as he bobbed back and forth between his two siblings. Reaching out to shake his brother's shoulder in a sign of camaraderie, Ryan smiled, "Don't worry about it. You'll get another chance."

"That's just it though. I don't think I will. The situation with Summer is even murkier now than it was before the awful fish sex."

Ryan turned to grin at his twin as Rhiannon literally howled with laughter, tears springing to her eyes at the words coming out of their brother's mouth. Even Ryan couldn't resist a small chuckle as he advised sagely, "I wouldn't refer to it as fish sex ever again."

Seth seemed resigned to his sister's laughter by now, reaching out to wave Ryan on. "That's what I need your help with, Ryan. That's what I was hoping to get a little bit more of; tips. Tricks of the trade. Summer's used to driving a higher performance vehicle."

Ryan's eyes were grim as he hopped down the stairs toward his sister, remarking over his shoulder, "I don't know if I'm the guy to talk to about romance."

Rhiannon reached out as her brother held out a hand to her, letting him pull her to her feet and toward the door. "How did everything go with Marissa last night?" she asked quietly, dreading whatever answer her brother was giving.

Ryan didn't even ask how she'd even known that Marissa had been over the previous evening, just answered the question honestly. "Everything is just different post-Oliver," was his only reply as he bent to kiss her temple affectionately. "And I really do like Anna. We'll see how things go, okay? In the meantime, I really do need to go over and help set up."

"Come on, man. Don't you have something to offer me?" Seth pleaded as he followed the twins out of the pool house and toward the kitchen.

Rhiannon let out a happy squeal at the sight of her boyfriend sitting at the kitchen island, sipping on a cup of coffee and laughing easily – seemingly painlessly – with his brother and Taylor. Scampering forward to join them, she left her brothers behind to discuss whatever advice Ryan was going to hand out. Ryan watched his sister go with a slight smile, before turning back to Seth, "The best thing I can say is this. Do it again."

Seth's shoulders slumped and he grumbled, "That's what I was afraid of."

Rhiannon skipped into the kitchen and threw her arms around her boyfriend's shoulders tentatively, kissing his temple lightly. "How are you feeling?" she asked, trying to keep her voice down in case he did have a headache.

Sam's grin was wide and pain-free as he hauled her into the first real kiss they'd shared since he'd been injured. "I feel fabulous. Better than I have in awhile."

"No headache?" she asked hopefully, her whole body seeming to perk up at the news.

"None," he promised, laughing as she launched herself into his arms with a delighted squeal. Sitting back in the chair, he pulled her up into his lap, one arm firmly across her back to balance her there as the other hand held his coffee mug confidently. "Happy Valentine's Day, Sadira."

"Happy Valentine's Day!" she cheered, snuggling close to him happily. Looking up as Dean offered her a mug of hot chocolate with an amused grin, she cocked her head in question. "I thought you were going away on a job?"

"I was," was his only answer.

She narrowed her eyes at him, nibbling on her lower lip as she waited for the rest. Finally losing her patience, she sighed heavily. "Then why are you still here?"

"I told Dad I wasn't going. It's Valentine's Day, and there was no way in hell that someone else was taking my girl to this thing tonight. Even if it is some lame high-class party," he grumbled, rolling his eyes as Taylor went up on tiptoes to kiss his stubbly cheek and the couple across from him laughed at him teasingly.

"I told you. Romantic soul somewhere."

"There is not!" he insisted, looking over as Ryan and Seth entered the kitchen then. "Ryan, I hope you weren't counting on taking Taylor to this tonight."

"Why?"

"Cause she's going with me."

Ryan shrugged haphazardly. "Cool. I don't mind going alone."

Taylor and Rhiannon cast sly glances at each other, snickering at the complete 180 he'd turned from just the day before. Ryan glared at them both, pinching his sister's ribs to make her giggle before grabbing a Sprite from the fridge. "I'm heading over to the country club to help set up. Either of you guys gonna come with me?"

Sam looked up at Dean, getting a careless shrug. Looking back at his girlfriend's twin, he smiled. "Sure. Let us say goodbye to the girls, and we'll be right behind you. You want to ride with us?"

"Might as well save the gas," Ryan agreed, reaching to hang up the keys to the Rover.

Sam looked over at the girls as Ryan left the room, followed shortly after by Seth. "Seth is going to help set up?"

The youngest Atwood shook her head with a charming giggle. "Nah. Seth's not so good with the heavy lifting. He's probably going over to try and repair the damage with Summer."

"Huh?"

"Summer popped his cherry last night," Rhiannon cackled, with a gleeful look in her eyes. "He referred to it as, and I quote, 'awful fish sex'."

Dean winced in sympathy though Sam couldn't hold in his chuckles. "That bad huh?"

"Apparently."

"And what are you girls going to be doing while we're gone?"

Taylor spoke up then with a smirk. "I'm taking Star to the spa to get our hair and nails done. After the last few weeks she's had, she deserves a little stress-relief."

Sam nodded, kissing Rhiannon's temple tenderly. "Just be careful, the both of you. We'll meet you back here tonight for the party."

"Okay. Sevenish?"

Sam nodded, "We'll be here. I love you."

Rhiannon's cheeks colored prettily as she pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. "I love you."

Taylor pecked Dean's lips quickly with a shy grin, before grabbing her best friend's hand and dragging her toward the door. "Come on, Star, let's go. We're wasting daylight and the party's going to be here before you know it. We haven't even picked out what we're going to wear yet!"

Rhiannon's only reply was a happy giggle, before the front door closed behind them and their conversation was lost to the world. The Winchester brothers took a moment to relish the dregs at the bottoms of their coffee mugs, before joining Ryan at the Impala.

An hour later, Rhiannon and Taylor came giggling into the house, weighed down with their bags and their hair done up in two gorgeous styles. Rhiannon's waist length platinum hair had been pulled half up in a haphazard styled that fanned out behind her head, the ends curled into neat spirals down her back. Taylor's hair had been tamed into a neat chignon and she reached up then to adjust a strand that had fallen loose and into her face. Looking up, both saw Sandy sitting on the couch looking upset. He was dressed for the party, but Rhiannon didn't hear her mother's fluttering in the house anywhere. "Daddy?" Rhiannon asked quietly, cocking her head in question. "Where is everyone?"

"Ryan's in the pool house, Seth is at Summer's, and your mother is at her function. She left early to make sure that everything was taken care of." Looking up at his daughter, "I hate this holiday. I was serious, Rhiannon. It's just another way for chocolate companies to make money."

Rhiannon smiled lightly, before gesturing for her father to remain seated. "Hold that thought."

Turning, she scampered to her room, coming back only moments later with a book. She handed it to her father who stared at it in confusion. The book was black bound with no defining characteristics. "What is this, Stardust?"

"Open it to page 185."

"Okay, and what am I looking for?" he asked, flipping pages.

"February 14th was an important day, even back in the mid 1300's, Dad." Smiling, Rhiannon began to recite the passage she wanted him to see verbatim, "'In the late fourteenth century, it was believed that birds paired up and mated on that day; the custom of choosing a 'Valentine' did not emerge until the fifteenth century, but the connection of lovers with St Valentine may go as far back as the emergence of the cults of two Roman martyrs of that name and the tradition probably became popular with the development of the medieval concept of courtly love. Thus there was a clear association between love and St Valentine's Day in 1382, when John of Gaunt issued the quitclaim deed and the choice of this date – surely no accident – was perhaps to reassure Katherine that the Duke still secretly cherished deep feelings for her, even if they could not be lovers as before.'"

"Where on earth did you get this from?" Sandy demanded, as he found the passage and reread it again.

Giggling, she explained at her father's dumbstruck, curious look. "Katherine Swynford: The story of John of Gaunt and his Scandalous Mistress by Allison Weir. Katherine Swynford's one of my favorite medieval heroines; Sam bought me this book for Christmukkah. The point is that Valentine's Day wasn't created by Hallmark and the chocolate companies. They certainly capitalize on it, but they didn't create it." Dropping to her knees before her father, she squeezed his knees, "This is Mom's favorite holiday. May I suggest that instead of sitting here moping about the miserableness of the holiday, you try and make up with her?"

Sandy sighed and smiled wryly at his daughter. "Are you ever going to side with me during a disagreement between your mother and me?"

"When you're right, absolutely. Right now, no. Go on, Daddy. Sam and Dean are going to be by at seven to pick us up. Taylor and I still need to get dressed for the party."

Sandy chuckled at being outmaneuvered by his youngest, standing and pressing a fond kiss to her temple. "Thank you, Stardust."

"Your welcome, Daddy. At least try to have some fun," she ordered happily, as Taylor grabbed her hand and dragged Rhiannon along behind her toward the other girl's bedroom.

Sandy sighed again, setting the book aside and scooping up his suit coat. "I have some preparations to make," he mused, checking for his keys and his wallet before heading out the door.

Later that night, the Quartet was sitting at a table at the party, looking around. Sandy had brought Kirsten a large bouquet of deep red roses and the happy couple looked as though they'd made up once again. Ryan sat with Theresa, his old friend from Chino who had come up from home to work on the catering crew for the event, the two talking happily about everything that had happened since Thanksgiving. Summer was with Seth on the dance floor with several other couples, neither of them looking the least the worse for wear after their bad experience of the evening before. Marissa was nowhere to be seen, though Luke could be seen entertaining Julie Cooper.

Rhiannon was in seventh heaven, eyes dreamy as she looked around the room at everyone having a good time. Sam looked over at Taylor, who grinned and passed him a set of keys. _Have fun_, she mouthed, winking once for good measure.

Taking a deep breath, Sam stood out of his seat and held out a hand to Rhiannon. "You want to get out of here?"

Rhiannon's eyes were wide and curious as she looked up at her boyfriend, seeing the nervousness and the excitement in his eyes. Glancing around once more, she put her hand in his and let him pull her to her feet. "I would love to."

Sam immediately relaxed, as though that had been the hardest part of the plan, before pulling her along after him. Taylor giggled as she watched them go, while Dean's smile was indulgent into his beer beside her. "So where's he taking her?"

Taylor's voice was haughty as she replied simply, "Out."

Sam handed Rhiannon into the bucket seat of the fully restored, utterly beloved 1967 Ford Shelby Mustang that Taylor was letting him borrow for the evening, and jogged around the hood to settle into the driver's seat. Rotating in the seat to look at her, he chuckled to see her single cocked eyebrow and the questions in her eyes. "Do you trust me?"

"Implicitly," she agreed immediately, with a decisive nod.

Holding up a length of black silk, Sam bit down on his lower lip lightly. "Are you sure you trust me?"

"Sam . . . just blindfold me already," she chuckled, leaning forward to kiss him before letting him fasten the blindfold around her eyes.

The car ride to wherever they were going was long and uneventful, with little else to hear on the road except for the purring roar of the car's motor and the gentle music that played through the car's stereo. "Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise, Sadira . . . thus the blindfold."

"Very funny."

"I thought so. Hold on, just for a second more. We're almost there."

Rhiannon huffed lightly, nevertheless settling back into her seat as she let her boyfriend take her where he would. She had nearly dozed off when the sudden cutting out of the engine woke her. Sitting up, she strained her ears to hear something other than the sound of the car door opening as Sam got out to guide her out of her seat. "Kick off your shoes."

"What!?"

"Just trust me, Sadi. We're perfectly safe here with our shoes off. See," he said, rubbing the bare sole of one foot over the top of one of her own, "I have mine off. Just kick them off. You'll twist your ankle or worse down here with those things on."

"And the fact that I'm blindfolded won't do the same thing?" she asked, even as she pulled her stilettos off and dropped them sightlessly back into the car somewhere.

Sam chuckled, startling her as he suddenly swept her up into strong, familiar arms. She squeaked lightly, her arms going firmly around his neck to prevent the possibility of a fall as she held as tightly as she could manage. Sam was silent, kicking the door of the Shelby shut before starting to move. As Rhiannon listened, she could hear the soft whooshing sound of the ocean, and hear the soft crunch of dry sand underfoot. "Are we at the beach?"

"Shh . . . just wait," he soothed, continuing on uninterrupted.

When he finally set her on her feet, she giggled as the fine sand lodged between her toes familiarly. His hands on her shoulders turned her where he wanted her to be, before his hands came up to loosen the blindfold. As the black silk fell away, Rhiannon's eyes flashed open wide and she gasped, as her hands flew to cover her mouth. "Oh . . . Sam."

There, laid out with candles and roses on the platform of the lifeguard station, was a romantic dinner for two. Sam's voice was a low, warm hum against the shell of her ear. "Happy Valentine's Day, Sadira. I love you."


	12. Bad News and Beach Babies

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it.

AN: Wow! I am so sorry that I have taken so long to get this next part written. For some reason, it just didn't want to come out the way I wanted it to. But finally, I kicked its butt into shape and so here it is. Please enjoy and let me know what you think, okay? Thank you!!

Chapter 12

For the next three weeks, Rhiannon floated happily on Cloud 9. The candlelit, oceanside dinner for two had been wonderful and romantic, everything that Valentine's Day should always be. She recognized most of the dishes as Taylor's culinary specialties and thanked her best friend with a bouquet of a dozen blood-moon roses to be delivered in their homeroom class the very next day.

What she hadn't anticipated was Sam and Taylor's dismal news shortly before Passover.

Taylor arrived at the Cohen house that morning in the BMV, solemn eyed and sad, watching with a half-hearted smile as Rhiannon shouted her goodbyes to her parents and scampered to the car. "Hi Tay!" she chirped happily, her eyes twinkling with delight and good humor. Seeing her best friend's serious features, Rhiannon calmed, settling back in her seat. "Taylor? What's wrong, honey?"

"Can you wait until we get to school and we see Sam? I don't want to have to say this again."

"Tay?" she asked carefully, one hand gripping her shoulder gently as she cocked her head in concern. "Are you okay? Did you and Dean have a fight?"

"NO!" Taylor refuted, giving her best friend a look as though to suggest that she needed her head examined. "If Dean and I had had a fight, Sam would already know, right?"

"Good point." Rhiannon agreed wryly, with a sly wink. "All right. I can wait. But try to smile, huh? I'm worried about you."

Taylor fought a weak smile on her face, glancing at her best friend, only to completely crack up. Rhiannon's whole face was twisted into a hideous mask to try to spark a small amount of laughter in her best friend. Seeing the genuine smile on her face, Rhiannon relaxed and joined Taylor in her merriment.

The two girls were still giggling as they pulled into their usual spot and headed toward where Sam waited at the front of the school once again. The look on Sam's face was severe and Rhiannon frowned in consternation, feeling her heart rate speed up in concern. "Sam?" she whimpered, reaching out to link her hands with his own.

"Hey Sadi," he whispered, bending in half to press a kiss to the corner of her mouth.

Looking around, Rhiannon grabbed both of their hands and dragged them away from Harbor's front steps. "Star, school is back the other way," Taylor reminded her as Rhiannon stopped at the door to the car.

"We're so far ahead of everyone else in first period that I don't think Miss Hardy is going to care if we miss one day of class. Open the car, Tay, and let's go get breakfast. Something is going on with you two, and I'm worried about you."

Taylor and Sam glanced at each other, confused by the out of character behavior from the young blond, before Rhiannon rolled her eyes, "Come on, Tay; open the doors."

Taylor shrugged in answer to whatever question Sam was asking with her eyes, and the three dropped into their seats.

Half an hour later, Rhiannon was sitting beside her boyfriend and watching her best friend, waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop. "All right. What's wrong? What's happened?"

Sam looked up at Taylor and spoke quietly, "You want to go first, or you want me to?"

"Ladies first," Taylor muttered with a small smile and a half-hearted wink. Taking a deep breath, she reached out to take Rhiannon's hands in her own. "Guys . . . my mom is sending me to Paris for the summer."

Rhiannon's eyes went wide at the information and for a long second, she simply stared at her best friend. Sam's arm was firm around her shoulders as he held the distraught young blond close. "She's what?!" she demanded in a horrified whimper.

"It's not that big of a deal, Star. It's only for the summer, and you'll have Sam and Ryan with you."

Sam flinched and Rhiannon nearly launched out of her chair in reaction. "You too!?"

"Dad's insisting that Dean and I are going back on the road with him this summer. I've been arguing with him about this pretty much nonstop since he told me, but I haven't been able to budge him at all."

"What about Harbor? Your scholarship; your dad promised you! Dean promised _**us**_!"

"We'll be back at the end of the summer for the beginning of fall term. Dad's keeping his promise, but that doesn't mean that he's going to let me stay behind while I'm not in school."

"But . . . what about me? What am I going to do without my two best friends in the world? You guys are the only people who are managing to keep me sane in this place."

"Ryan's going to be here, right? You'll be okay, Sadira. I know you will. And we'll be back before you know it; it's only for the summer," Sam soothed, hauling her back into his embrace and holding her tightly. "And in the meantime, we're not gone yet. Everything is going to be okay, Sadi, I promise."

Rhiannon slumped between the two, tears standing brightly in her eyes and staining the fabric of her boyfriend's soft t-shirt as she cried. Sam's fingers were infinitely tender in her hair as he held her close. "No matter what happens, Sadira, no matter how far away I am from you, I love you. And I am coming back in the fall; no way in hell I'm letting anyone else have you, huh? You'll be all right, and it'll only be for a few months. I promise . . . everything'll work out in the end."

Rhiannon buried herself close, hardly noticing as Sam pulled out his cell phone and called his brother. The phone rang twice before Dean's voice came though the receiver loud and clear. "Sammy!? What's wrong? Why aren't you in class?"

"Could you call Taylor, Sadira and me in sick, and then meet us at the diner at the pier?"

"What's going on?" he asked, sounding panicked at the thought that something had happened and they were in trouble.

"Please Dean?" Sam asked, pulling out the puppy dog eyes and the pout; though the visuals didn't work as well as they would have if Dean had been standing there, they lent a level of pleading to the request that just asking would not have.

Dean sighed heavily as he once again caved to his younger brother's request. "At least tell me that you three are all right."

"We're fine. Sadira's a little upset, but for the most part we're okay . . . physically at least. Will you meet us?"

"Let me call the school and get you three excused, and I'll be right down. Take care of them for me, Sammy, okay?"

"I will," the youngest Winchester promised, one arm holding his girlfriend tighter to him as she shuddered with tears.

There was a dial tone and Sam slouched back into the booth again, his fingers tangled familiarly in Rhiannon's hair as she sniffed back her tears bravely. "So what are we going to do today, if we're not going to go to school?"

"I don't care," Sam chuckled, "but we're not going to school. The three of us deserve to be able to play hooky every once in awhile."

"My parents are going to freak," Rhiannon sniffed, getting her tears under control and brushing bravely at her eyes.

"I'll handle your parents. And I'm sure they'll understand when they find out why it is that we ditched out on school today."

She huffed then, slouching back into her seat. "I wish everybody would stop treating me like I'm spun glass and that I'm going to shatter at the slightest touch. I'm not, you know."

Sam smiled slightly, his lips pressing together as he tried to suppress the smirk and the gesture not quite reaching his eyes. "They love you, Sadira, and after what happened with Oliver . . . they don't want to upset you. Just let them take care of you, huh?"

Rhiannon frowned fiercely, before agreeing with that thought at least. "Fine. If I have to." Burying closer to her boyfriend, she muttered, "Apparently, Dad has a business dinner tonight that I'm supposed to go to. And Dad's mom, The Nana, is coming to California for Passover in two days, just to add oil to the fire. Dad's wigging out."

Sam cocked his head strangely to be able to see her better. "Hold up . . . since when are you Jewish?"

"I'm not . . . Sandy is," Rhiannon replied, her eyes very wide as she looked up at him innocently. "But Ryan and I live with Mom and Dad now. It's only right that we take part in their various family holidays. And Passover just happens to be one of them."

Sam nodded in understanding, trying not to let his disappointment show on his face. Now that he knew he was going to be leaving her for the summer, he was reluctant to allow a single remaining moment of their spring together to pass them by. He had no idea how he was going to survive the summer as it was. Rhiannon seemed to sense his disappointment and smiled sadly up at him, fighting to put on a brave face. "You are, of course, invited, my love. Both to Passover and to the dinner tonight."

"You sure?"

"Of course. You, Taylor and Dean all are. I already asked Mom, and she just rolled her eyes at me as though I shouldn't have expected anything less."

Sam chuckled, well acquainted with Kirsten Cohen's stubbornness when it came to her children's friends. When it came to her daughter's friends, she was a fierce she-bear most of the time. Dean speculated that it was because the two Winchesters were motherless and Taylor might as well have been, which just threw Kirsten's motherly instincts into overload. "Your mom is awesome."

"The very best mom in the whole world," Rhiannon agreed, fighting valiantly to hold back her tears as Taylor nodded in agreement. Of course, Taylor's agreement only served to remind the youngest Atwood that the Dragon Lady Townsend was sending her daughter away for the summer so she didn't have to deal with her. Before she knew it, she was cuddled close to her boyfriend once more, his long arms around her shoulders as she cried.

Sam knew he'd done the right thing by keeping the three of them out of school when Dean arrived at the diner nearly 20 minutes later. The elder Winchester slid into the boot next to Taylor, pulled her close with one arm around her shoulders and demanded, "So what are we doing today?"

Rhiannon hiccupped, caught off guard by the question. Sam reached out to brush away a few tears as she asked, "What?"

Taylor cocked her eyebrow at her quasi-boyfriend as well. "No lecture about why we should be in school, ala John Winchester?"

Dean chuckled as he shook his head. "If the three of you are ditching school, it's for a damn good reason. And if you're going to play hooky, you might as well do something fun. So, what do you want to do today?"

Sam watched his teary-eyed girlfriend and asked gently, "What sounds fun to you, Sadira?"

The pretty blonde sniffled and suggested meekly, "Lunch at the pier and the beach?"

Dean looked down at his own woman. "What do you think, Tay?"

"The beach sounds good to me. Star and I don't have suits though . . ."

"So we'll get you some new ones. My treat," Dean announced, catching his little brother's eye quickly.

Sam seemed to understand whatever silent question Dean was asking and nodded. Tucked into her boyfriend like she was, Rhiannon didn't notice. Taylor, however, did. Getting the feeling that neither of the Winchesters wanted the youngest Atwood Twin to know that they were coddling her, Taylor kept quiet. "Can I have a pink bikini?" Taylor asked in a perky tone of voice, tossing her head in an attempt to tease Dean.

"Only if it says AC/DC on it somewhere," Dean shot back, knowing exactly what she was doing.

Sam thanked whatever god was listening for his brother and best friend, as their good-natured bantering soon had Rhiannon dissolving into happy giggles. Catching Dean's eyes, Sam mouthed, "Thank you."

Dean grinned in response, the cocky and confident smirk that drove Sam crazy, before turning back to Taylor. Squeezing his girlfriend closer, Sam dove into the conversation as well, resolving to accept the consequences of his actions as they occurred.

The foursome climbed into the Impala, boys in the front and girls in the back as was their usual wont. First stop was the beach shop at the pier, where the girls and Sam perused the stacks for swimsuits. Taylor burst out laughing at the look on Dean's face when she actually did find a baby pink bikini with the band insignia for AC/DC on one of the bra cups and on the bottoms. She bought it as a gag, as well as one in a soft pastel blue. Rhiannon stuck to a simple black tankini, blushing furiously at Dean's teasing wolf-whistle. Sam bought a pair of plain blue board shorts, thought the elder Winchester clung relentlessly to the idea that he did _**not**_ wear shorts. He'd roll up his jeans and he'd be fine. Four beach towels rounded out their purchases, and then the foursome were headed to the beach.

Ever an adorable couple, Sam and Rhiannon cuddled together on Sam's towel, as Dean "helped" Taylor build a sandcastle. Before long, though, Dean had thrown a handful of sand at Taylor and the war between the two was on. Rhiannon couldn't hold in her giggles at the sight of her bikini-clad best friend squealing as she dashed around the beach, while one of the gorgeous Winchesters, clad in only a sandy pair of jeans, chased her through the sand.

Sam smiled down at her, one huge hand smoothing back through the wind tossed platinum curls. Rhiannon's head tilted back to look up at him, Prussian blue eyes almost glowing in her face. "Having fun?" he teased, with a sly wink. Rhiannon's nose crinkled up adorably as she nodded. Leaning down, Sam kissed her forehead sweetly. "Good."

Tilting up to him, Rhiannon's eyes slipped closed on a sigh, as Sam's lips caressed, teased and captured her. Sam's hand was warm and familiar where it cradled the back of her head and she allowed herself to lose herself in him for just a moment.

A handful of sand in their direction broke them apart with a shocked gasp from Rhiannon. Dean smirked, obviously the guilty party and just as obviously not feeling sorry. "Come on, lovebirds. We didn't come to the beach to play kissy-face, eh?"

Taylor let out a startled squeal then as the elder Winchester whirled and caught her around the waist. "Gotcha!" he crowed, slinging the petite redhead up over his houlder. Turning toward the water, he started toward it purposefully.

It didn't take long for Taylor to realize his intentions. Her eyes went wide and she started to struggle in earnest. "Dean Matthew Winchester, don't you dare!" she squeaked, pushing uselessly against his back in an attempt to dislodge his grip on her hips and waist.

Dean chuckled, "Sorry, babe . . . it needs to be done."

Taylor's scream was cut off abruptly as she was tossed into the chilly ocean water and completely submerged. She came up from the water to the sound of Dean's laughter, swearing in an eclectic mix of Korean, French and English. "You scruffy-looking nerfherder!" she screeched, quoting "Star Wars, Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back."

To which Dean shot back jovially, "Hey! Who you callin' scruffy-looking?" The Star Wars movies were her and Dean's favorite movies, and together the two could quote the whole series verbatim. Chortling, Dean held out a hand. "I'm sorry, baby, really. Let me help you up."

Taylor smiled sweetly, as she took his hand. "You're not sorry," she argued sweetly, "but you're going to be."

Wrapping both hands around Dean's wrist, she pitched him into the water next to her with a hard, unexpected tug. Dean came up sputtering, shaking water out of his eyes with a sharp shake of his head. He could easily hear all three teenagers rolling with laughter, his brother's full-bellied guffaw easily the loudest of the three. "Laugh it up, Sasquatch. I let her do that."

"Let me!?" Taylor squeaked, rolling on top of him and landing a few good blows to his shoulders with half-hearted smacks of her open hand.

Soon the almost-dating couple were wrestling with each other in the water, stealing kisses wherever possible. Sam and Rhiannon continued laughing, before Sam stood and scooped his girlfriend up into his arms, stepping into the water. The four friends splashed about in the water for awhile, before heading to the relatively warmer temperatures of the sand. Over the course of the day, they all finished Taylor's abandoned sandcastle, munched on food purchased from the vendors along the boardwalk and just enjoyed each other's company.

When it started to get late in the afternoon, Rhiannon sighed. "I have to go. Dad and Jimmy have that dinner to sample food for the Lighthouse tonight, and I should shower and stuff first. I have sand in places I didn't know existed."

Sam glanced at his watch with a frown. "Wow . . . it's 4:30 already." Glancing at his girlfriend, he asked, "I'm still invited to this thing tonight, right?"

"If I'm not grounded," Rhiannon sighed. "I hope so. Ryan, Seth, Summer and Anna are going to this party in LA, and I really don't want to have to face Caleb and Dad's investors by myself."

Sam kissed her forehead. "Let's get back then. No reason to give Caleb another reason to bitch about the Atwood Twins."

The four climbed back to the car, returning Taylor to the diner and her car. Taylor squeezed her two best friends. "See you tomorrow at school." Smiling up at Dean, she pressed a steamy kiss to his lips. "And I'll see you tomorrow night."

Dean grinned at her, watching her stride confidently to her car. Honking the Impala's horn at her once, Dean revved the engine and roared out of the parking lot, heading back to the Cohen house. When the Winchesters dropped Rhiannon off at the front door, Sam went with her to the door. "Are you sure you don't want me to come in, Sadira? It was my idea."

Her smile was calm and serene, barely a shadow her usual exuberance, as she shook her head. "No, Sam, I need to take the responsibility for my actions. Yes, it was your idea to skip out on the whole day, but I dragged us out before first period. And I went along with the plan to ditch. I have worked too hard for Mom and Dad's trust and I refuse to lose it now."

Sam nodded, bending to kiss her nose sweetly. "If I can still come over for the dinner, call me tonight, okay?"

"Absolutely," Rhiannon promised, returning his kiss tenderly. "And even if I'm in trouble, I'll see you tomorrow at school."

Sam nodded in agreement, watching her as she opened the front door and slipped soundlessly through the crack. Meeting his eyes one last time, she smiled and let the door fall shut behind her. Sam took a deep breath, and then headed back to his brother's Impala. Sliding into the passenger seat, he said nothing as Dean pulled away. "Don't worry about Geek-girl, Sammy; she's gonna be okay."

"She ditched school to go to the beach with me and her friends, Dean; and we're all basically abandoning her for the summer."

"Okay, first of all, she's not in any trouble for ditching. I called and explained to Mrs. C what was going on, so she could call the school. Secondly, she never ditches . . . and she's never in trouble, so even if she _**was**_ in trouble, it wouldn't be awful as you're imagining. And third, Rhiannon knows that we would never leave her if we could help it."

Sam sat quiet for a long time, just processing his brother's words. "I know that; I just . . ."

"You just worry about her, because you love her. But seriously, Sammy, she's a lot stronger than any of us give her credit for. Look at all she's been through . . . if she hasn't broken yet, she isn't going to."

Sam heaved a sigh as he nodded, "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Of course, I'm right," Dean scoffed, "I'm the older, smarter, better looking brother."

Sam rolled his eyes and shot back, "Uh-huh, and I'm the Mona Lisa."

Dean smirked, "No wonder that picture's so ugly."

"Jerk!" came the expected sally.

"Bitch!" was the return salvo.

There was a long silence before Sam started snickering. Dean turned the Impala into the driveway of their rundown little house, and shut off the car. "And what the hell is so funny, Geek-boy?"

Sam was still chuckling as he got his things together and climbed from the car. "Dude, you know what the Mona Lisa is!"

Dean, sensing a trap and no way to avoid it, narrowed his eyes at his little brother. "Yeah. So?"

"Wait until I tell Taylor that her boytoy is an art aficionado. She might drag you to the art museum in LA." Dodging as Dean chucked an empty soda can at him, Sam continued teasing, "I can just imagine you in your ripped jeans and Metallica t-shirt, among all the tuxedos and cocktail dresses."

"Shut up, Sammy!" Dean growled, shoving past him and storming into the house.

Sam's eyes narrowed at his brother's back, watching the older Winchester disappear into the house. Somehow . . . somewhere, he'd hit a nerve. And he was determined to find out what it was. But first, he needed to let Dean cool off. He'd talk to his girls and then tackle his brother the next day.

Rhiannon called an hour later, confirming Dean's declaration that she wasn't in any trouble, and yes, he was still invited to the dinner party that night. Relieved, Sam agreed to her mother's plan to pick him up in a half hour, before rushing to get ready to go.

When he climbed into the passenger seat of the Cohen's Range Rover, he blushed sheepishly at Kirsten's teasing grin. He was wearing the suit coat and slacks, over a pale blue dress shirt and dark blue tie, Kirsten had purchased for him specifically for events like these. Dean had one too, but very rarely wore it. It usually took pleading, pouting, and bribes from Taylor to get him into it. "You look very nice, Sam-honey," Kirsten teased, reaching over to adjust the collar of his shirt.

"Thanks," he agreed, adjusting the sleeve length with a quick tug at his cuffs.

"Star was still getting ready for dinner, but she wanted to come with me to get you."

"It's okay, Mrs. C," Sam chuckled with a small grin.

"Sam, how may times do I have to ask you to call me Kirsten?"

"At least one more year, Mrs. C," Sam teased with a wink.

"So . . . you nervous?"

"A little," the almost 17 year old confessed. "I've never . . . these sound like important people. And I don't want to mess this up for either Mr. Cohen or Mr. Cooper."

"They're really not that important; my dad and a few of his investors. Just a test group. Don't worry about trying to impress them. You'll both do wonderfully. Just remember to stay close to Star and call my dad 'Mr. Nichol,' okay?"

"Sure thing, Mrs. C."

"Good to hear," Kirsten laughed, pulling into the driveway of the house. "Go. I'm sure my daughter is still trying to get up nerve for this in her room."

Sam nodded with a bright grin, climbing from the car quickly and dashing into the house, taking the stairs two and three at a time. Rhiannon sat in the far corner of her room, soved as deeply into the crease as she could manage, well and truly on her way to a major panic attack. "Oh Sadi," Sam murmured, moving to sit at her side and cuddle her close to him.

"Sam . . . I can't do this. All those people!? I'll embarrass Mom and Dad and Mr. Cooper and Mr. Nichol. I can't do this," she babbled, both comforted and panicked by the arrival of her boyfriend. "Please don't make me do this."

"Sadira, you are the strongest person I know. Look at everything you've overcome . . . everything you've faced and still, you keep daring the world to bring it on." Holding her tighter, he rocked her back and forth as he spoke into the ringlets of her hair. "You look so beautiful tonight, baby. You even outshine the stars we call you by, and I will admit to being a little bit chauvinist and wanting to flaunt the fact that you're mine to everyone. So you're going to come downstairs with me, and we're both gonna support your dad and his restaurant. Everyone is going to be so impressed with you, and your parents are gonna be so proud of you, and I'm going to be right beside you the whole time."

"You promise?"

"Cross my heart," Sam agreed. "So wipe your eyes, dry your tears, put on a smile and let's go see how many ways your father is going crazy. Okay?"

Rhiannon gave a watery laugh, letting Sam brush away her tears and pull her to her feet. "I'm being such a bawl baby today. I'm sorry, Sam."

"You have every reason to be upset, Sadira. You've gotten used to our routine, and that's being ripped out from under you. It's okay. Just remember, that no matter what, I love you and I am never going to be more than a phone call away."

"You're the very best boyfriend ever," Rhiannon vowed, throwing her arms up around his neck and forcing him to lift her off her feet so that he wasn't bent in half within her embrace.

Sam chuckled lightly and kissed her forehead. "You make it pretty easy."

Rhiannon giggled and blushed, linking her fingers with his and heading down the stairs with him at her side. Jumping the last three and turning to lift her, Sam swung her up and around as he usually did, setting her tenderly on her feet beside him. Comforted by the familiarity of the gesture, Rhiannon let out a quiet laugh and cuddled close to him happily. The teenagers found Sandy and his business partner, Jimmy Cooper, in the kitchen, squaring off with Kirsten's father, Caleb Nichol, with Kirsten standing helplessly off to the side. The Cohen matriarch caught sight of her daughter and moved to intercept the two. "How are you feeling, Star?"

"I'm fine now, Mom. What's going on?"

"Nothing to worry about. Just the usual posturing that all men engage in when seeking out an Alpha male. Sam, I need a favor from you both."

"Sure thing, Mrs. C."

"Go be charming with our guests. The two of you are going to be my best defense, until I can remind these idiots what the whole point of this dinner was about. Okay?"

Sam glanced down at Rhiannon, relieved to see a grin on her face. "No problem, Mom. Take your time. Sam wants to show me off, anyway."

Kirsten laughed, reaching to hug her youngest tightly. "Any man would be proud to be at your side, Star. You look so very beautiful tonight. Go on; do me proud."

The two teenagers gave her identical mock-salutes, before they moved toward the formal living room to entertain Caleb's investors for awhile. All in all, the dinner was a complete success. The investors were very impressed with the sampling the Lighthouse chefs offered, Sandy and Jimmy received the backing they badly needed from Caleb and – most importantly to Sam – Rhiannon charmed the entire company, with the notable exception of Caleb, coming almost completely into her own at last.

The next morning, Rhiannon and Taylor arrived at the school earlier than usual. Rhiannon skipped up to her boyfriend, jumping up slightly to throw her arms around his neck and kiss him fiercely. "Morning!" she sang cheerfully.

"You're in a good mood," Sam remarked, one arm going around her shoulders as he leaned over to peck Taylor's cheek.

"She's been like this since I picked her up," Taylor agreed, linking elbows with her best friend.

Oblivious to the interplay between the two best friends, Rhiannon continued to hum happily as they moved toward the front doors of the school. Sam let her have her secrets and turned to Taylor. "Okay, so apparently, I pissed off my brother about you."

Taylor frowned, narrowing her eyes at him. "Okay . . . why? Wait! Better question . . . how?"

"I was talking about art, and teasing him about how strange it would be to see him in a museum, and now he's pissed."

Taylor frowned harder, nibbling on her thumb as they approached their classes. "Okay," she muttered, trying to figure out the problem. "Does he still work at the garage?"

"Yeah. I think he's got a shift there today. Gets off at 5:30 or something."

"Okay then. I'll head over after school and find out what's eating him."

"Thank you," Sam breathed, relieved. Turning his attention to his girlfriend, he inquired, "So do you want to hang out tonight?"

She frowned miserably as she groaned. "I can't. The Nana gets in tomorrow from New York, and I promised Mom I'd help her distract Dad."

Glancing at Taylor, Sam asked sotto voce, "Am I the only one who heard the capitalization there?"

Taylor shook her head in agreement with Sam, before questioning, "The Nana?"

"She's Dad's mom," came the miserable reply. "She's gonna hate me!"

Sam's arms tightened at her outburst, pressing a fond kiss to the back of her head. "No one who takes the chance to know you could ever hate you. You're Rhiannon Atwood, Golden Child of Harbor High and Newport Beach," he teased.

"So was Marissa Cooper, and we all know how well that turned out," Taylor cackled, eyes bright at the memory.

"Tay!" Rhiannon scolded, narrowing her cobalt eyes at her. "We destroyed her life."

"No; _**Marissa**_ destroyed her life. We just supplied her with the tools, Star."

Sam's response to that was amused. "Trust Sadira to feel badly for the girl whose whole goal in life was to make her miserable."

Taylor giggled, squeezing her best friend tightly. "And that's why we love her." Giggling in return, Rhiannon squealed as their arms tightened around each other briefly, before Taylor dashed off toward her own first period classroom. Sam wrapped a long arm around his girlfriend's shoulders as they ambled through the halls, toward their honors Calculus class. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"I'm worry. Tomorrow's Passover, and everything could go completely to hell."

"Why are you so worried about this? As I mentioned yesterday, you're not even Jewish."

"No, but The Nana is Dad's mother. And I want her to like me. I want to be part of her family. Caleb hates me and Ryan . . . The Nana's the only chance I've got at having a grandparent."

Sam chuckled. "She's gonna adore you, baby. If anything, it's going to be _**me**_ that she doesn't like."

"You?"

Sam seated her at her desk, before taking his own beside her. "You didn't think I was going to let you meet her alone . . . did you?"

Rhiannon's smile was small, but no less grateful as she met his eyes. "Thank you, Sam."

Leaning over, he kissed her quickly, murmuring, "My pleasure," against her lips.

Smiling into the kiss, both of her hands came up to cup his cheeks. One of Sam's hand came up to wrap around her wrist, and for a long time, they lost themselves in each other. Neither noticed as their fellow students filled the room or the sound of the bell going off signaling the start of the day. Only their teacher clearing his throat over their heads broke them apart, both sporting blushes and sheepish grins. Mr. Hanson's reprimand was fond as he remarked, "I believe you both know the school's policy on PDA."

"Yes sir," they agreed, moving back into their own seats.

"Good to hear," the man chuckled, before moving to the front of the classroom. "If everyone would hand their homework assignments up to the front of your rows, we'll get started on the day."

The day passed quickly, and as usual, the trio split ways in the parking lot. Taylor hugged them both tightly, before reassuring Sam, "All right. I'll handle dean and the both of us will see you tomorrow at Passover."

"Sounds like a plan," Sam agreed with a grin. "Tell him I'm probably gonna crash at Sadira's?"

"I'll make sure to tell him," the redhead agreed.

"Thanks. See ya around, Tay."

"See ya, Sam . . . bye Star."

"Bye Tay," the blonde laughed, watching her best friend get into her car and drive toward the garage where Dean worked fulltime as a mechanic. Looking up at her boyfriend, Rhiannon sighed, "All right. And now home, to deal with Dad."

Taylor had a pretty good idea what Dean's problem was. She'd noticed over the last few months that Dean was intensely embarrassed about his circumstances. When she ordered Korean take-out, in Korean, he'd turn rosy at the ears. And he preferred to tune the three of them out if they were talking about stuff at school, Sam's job at the law firm, a party that Rhiannon's mom was throwing for the Newpsies, etc. And Sam's comment about the art museum had no doubt been the very last straw to that particular camel's back, i.e. Dean's pride.

Well, Taylor Townsend was not a girl who let what she wanted pass her by. Dean Winchester had no idea what it was he was dealing with. If Dean thought he was leaving her for her own good, she'd just like to see him try.

Feeling only a little self-conscious in her tailored khakis and flowy top, Taylor threw her shoulders back and held her chin high as she stormed into the office of the garage. Dean's boss, Alexander McKenzie, looked up from his paperwork, awarding the fiery auburn-haired beauty a grin. "Ms. Townsend, I can take a guess at who you're here to see."

"Hello Al. Is he in?"

"Yeah, he's under the Masseratti at the end."

"Thank you, Al," she grinned, before schooling her features into stern lines and storming out of the office. "Dean Matthew Winchester! You had better have an exceptionally good reason for ignoring my calls all day!"

Though Dean's shoulders stiffened under his coveralls, his back remained to her and he continued working on the car in front of him. Taylor studiously ignoring the curious looks she was getting from the rest of the garage's mechanics, striding determinedly through the clutter. "Go away Taylor," came his quiet mutter as he tinkered with something under the car's hood.

"You actually look at me while you tell me to go, and I'll _consider_ it."

Dean sighed heavily, leaning further under the hood. "Really, Taylor. I'm sure you could find someone so much better for you than me. You just think you own me something out of misguided loyalty to Sam."

At that, Taylor Anne Townsend literally saw red. Grabbing his shoulder, she threw him around to face her, using all of the strength she'd cultivated through karate. Dean slammed back against the car, cheek burning as she hauled back and punched him hard. "You son-of-a-bitch! How dare you say such a thing to me!? I'm not some stupid kid who doesn't know what she wants. I care about you, you jerk! You!!"

"I can't be what you need, Taylor. I can't be that guy who speaks another language, who takes you to art galleries and museums, who talks to you about sculptures, brush strokes, music and all that. I'm not that guy!"

"I don't want _**that**_ guy! I want YOU!! I don't care about all of that. That's what my mother thinks is important in a man, not me. I want a guy who's smart, charming, funny and adorable; who knows how to get his hands dirty and who treats me like I matter." Smirking, she continued dryly, "And if he happens to be _**sinfully**_ gorgeous to boot . . . I'm really not going to complain that loudly."

Dean's ivy eyes were locked on hers, seeing the honesty there as she watched him. Finally, a small smile tilted one corner of his mouth. "Sinfully, huh?" he taunted.

"Dean . . . you are sex on legs, and you know it," she shot back hotly.

Watching her face carefully, Dean raised one motor-oil stained hand to her face. Seeing only complete acceptance in her eyes, he cupped her cheek and hauled her up to his lips. Pressing close to him, Taylor lost herself in the feel of his hands on her body, her own hands coming up to cradle his cheeks and keep him close, completely unmindful of her pretty clothes getting utterly ruined. As they drew apart, Taylor let out a small sigh. "that was perfect," she murmured, slumping into him contentedly.

Dean smiled, rubbing at an oil stain he'd left on her shirt. "I don't think I'd go as far as perfect, but if you say so." Smirking, he teased, "I'm getting your clothes all dirty."

Chuckled, she extricated herself from his embrace and straightened her clothes. "I don't care about my clothes. They can be cleaned." Reaching up to cup hi cheek, she continued, "What I do care about is this inferiority complex of yours. You are so important to Sam, Star and me. We're a quartet . . . and together, we're gonna be unstoppable okay? Trust that, even if you don't trust anything else."

Dean nodded, kissing her forehead fondly. "As you wish. Go on; get out of her and I'll see you later tonight once I'm off of work."

"Kay. And don't forget . . ."

"Passover at the Cohen's place tomorrow, I know. I remember."

"Good. By the way, Sam said he's probably gonna spend the night at Star's, so . . ."

"I'll call and talk to him. Be ready to go by 6 and pack a bag . . . just in case."

She grinned, nodding firmly. "As you wish." Dropping back onto her heels, she turned on the ball of her foot and proceeded to leave. Over her shoulder, she called. "Don't be late, Dean . . . I really don't want a reason to cry tonight."

Dean watched her go, awe and his heart in his eyes as he murmured his reply too low for her to hear. "I will never make you cry again, Taylor Townsend. I promise."


	13. Passover with The Nana

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it.

AN: Wow! I am so sorry that I have taken so long to get this next part written. I have no excuses, other than school, work, other projects, boyfriends, homework, midterms, etc. I'll try to get the next chapter out sooner. In the meantime, please enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think, okay? Thank you!!

It's Passover, Hailey comes home, The Nana comes to visit and Marissa makes her reappearance. Can this holiday be saved at all?

Chapter 13

Sam spent the night at the Cohen's place and the next morning . . . the world went to the dogs.

The night before, Kirsten's sister Hailey had crash landed back into their lives like the comet that shared her name. Though the details were sketchy, Kirsten was nevertheless relieved to have her sister home again. When Rhiannon and Sam entered the kitchen to find that the younger Nichol sister had made a whole buffet's worth of food, they literally gaped. "Wow, Hailey, this looks awesome," Rhiannon breathed, her eyes wide as she took everything in.

Hailey was silent, her cheeks turning rosy in delight. "Thank you."

Sam squeezed his girlfriend tightly around the shoulders. "You pour the juice and I'll set the table?"

"Sounds like a good plan," she agreed.

When Kirsten came into the kitchen, she smiled to see Rhiannon pouring juice and Sam setting the table for breakfast. Rhiannon was laughing and happy, relieved that for the moment, everything in her world was the way it was supposed to be. "Good morning, Star . . . good morning, Sam."

Sam looked over and grinned, "Good morning, Mrs. C.," echoed by Rhiannon's own, "Morning Mom."

Kirsten smiled at the two, reaching out to squeeze her daughter lightly around the shoulders before moving toward the table. There were waffles, pancakes, an innumerable number of berries, fresh squeezed juices and a whole basket of Sandy's beloved bagels. "Wow . . .," Kirsten breathed, echoing Rhiannon's earlier sentiment, surveying the diverse spread of breakfast foods before her. "What on Earth is all of this for?"

Hailey blushed as Kirsten turned incredulous eyes on her. "I just woke up this morning and felt like making breakfast."

"For an army?" Kirsten asked, voice unbelieving, watching as Hailey's blush went from rosy to crimson.

Kirsten smiled up at her younger sister, relieved to have her home. If her daughter's adventure in ditching had been the low point of her week, then Hailey's arrival home was definitely the high point. There was a lot that she was sure neither Jimmy or Hailey was telling her, and she had a feeling that it hadn't all gone down the way that Jimmy had claimed. Either way, she truthfully didn't care. She was just glad that her sister was home now and looking to stay that way for a while. "How'd you sleep, Hailes?"

There was a deep-seated exhaustion in her sister's eyes, but she gave Kirsten a small smile. "Better than I have in awhile. It's good to be home. Please, dig in. There's plenty for everyone."

"Star, why don't you go retrieve your brothers. I think I saw Seth trekking his way out there, but I haven't see either of them heading back inside yet." Rhiannon giggled and dashed through the patio door toward the pool house. Kirsten grinned and watched as her sister took a seat next to her. It wasn't long before Rhiannon led both of her brothers back into the kitchen. Rhiannon took the seat next to Sam at the table, while Ryan went for the coffee and Seth perched on a corner of the table. Hailey reached out to grab the newspaper and stack it into a pile, prompting her sister to speak up. "Hailey? The classifieds? So soon?"

"I figure I should get back to work. It's mostly restaurant gigs. It's not like I have any other marketable skills to speak of," the blond reminded the elder.

Seth grinned at his aunt, popping a raspberry into his mouth. "As it happens, I know of a hostess position available. A little speakeasy, we like to call the Balboa Lighthouse."

Kirsten laughed at the idea. "Now, there's a thought. I'll talk to Sandy. I'm sure he'd be happy to take you on."

"Are you sure?"

"He gave Sam a job at the law firm, just cause he asked for one. Yes, Hailes, I'm sure," Kirsten promised, relieved to see her sister sit back and relax with a small smile on her lips. "But you're gonna have to wait and talk to Sandy when he's in a good mood. Today's not really a good time. I'll talk to him about it tomorrow."

Twenty minutes later, she was halfway through her second waffle, laughing as Rhiannon's brothers teased her and her boyfriend about their beach day two days before, when her poor frazzled husband came into the kitchen. "We have to get all of the bread out of the house!" he announced. Carrying a brown paper bag, Sandy began to rifle through the cupboards and toss items into the bag. Rhiannon cocked her head in confusion at this uncharacteristic behavior, asking, "Dad? What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Kirsten rotated and told her husband, "Hailey made three different kinds of pancakes."

"Well enjoy them now, because we only have two hours to unleaven the entire kitchen."

Ryan glanced at his sister and asked, "What does that mean exactly?"

"It means that my mother's plane gets here at noon, and if she comes in here on the first day of Passover and sees us eating pancakes, she'll plotz."

Seth smirked at his mother, as though sharing an old joke, "I love how the Nana's coming to town and suddenly Dad's all Jewish again."

Kirsten tried to hold in a small giggle, but couldn't contain it completely. Sam cocked an eyebrow and remarked, "I don't get it."

Seth grimaced as he tried to explain, "The Nana's kinda . . . Jewish."

"She's a strict, hardnosed social worker from the Bronx," Sandy corrected, continuing to take things from the cupboards. "This is why we have to completely unleaven the house."

Kirsten smiled fondly at her husband, beckoning, "Sandy . . . come and eat with the family. Rhiannon poured the juice, and Sam set the table, and Hailey made all of this food for us. We should enjoy it while it lasts, don't you think?"

Sandy looked moments away from a logical protest, convincing Kirsten to bring out the big guns. "Star . . . honey . . . "

Rhiannon apparently needed no explanation. Pulling out the patented puppy eyes and puffed out her lower lip into a well practiced pout. "Daddy . . . please?"

Crumbling to his daughter's superior skills, Sandy sighed and set the bag aside. "All right," he agreed reluctantly, taking his usual seat across from his wife. Finally taking in the sheer quantity of food, he gasped, "Wow! This all looks amazing! Thank you, Hailey."

Hailey smiled. "It's just my way of saying thank you."

The look she gave both Ryan and Seth was significant, but Kirsten chose to ignore it completely. Whatever secret it was that the three were hiding, she didn't want to know. Popping a raspberry into her mouth, she crunched happily for a moment as she perused her family. "So what is everybody doing today?"

Seth started off on a ramble about Summer, but Ryan's answer was a single, quiet word. "Anna."

Kirsten grinned brightly, relieved to see the peace in her son's eyes. She liked Marissa, but the girl had always spelled trouble for her younger son, Anna was good for Ryan . . . and he seemed genuinely happy with her. "You both are coming to Passover, right?"

"Of course they are, Mom," Seth burst in, giving his mother a dirty look.

"Funny; you don't look like Ryan, and you don't sound like Ryan, but you're still answering for him," Rhiannon teased, winking at her twin in a conspiratorial manner.

Ryan gave his sister a small smile at her defense of him, answering their foster mother. "I didn't really ask her to come, to be honest."

"You should. Taylor and both Winchesters have been invited, and so has Summer for that matter. Granted, I don't know who all is coming, but they have been invited. Besides, Anna is always welcome in our home. Always."

Ryan nodded once. "I'll ask her."

"Good," Kirsten agreed, with a wide, before turning her attention onto her adorable couple. "And what about the two of you?"

"That rather depends on how well things went between Taylor and Dean last night," Sam explained with a chuckle. Rhiannon's giggle was amused as he continued wryly, "Considering the text message I got this morning, however, I'm pretty sure that everything went okay with the two of them. They should be here sometime this afternoon."

"Was there a problem between Dean and Taylor?" Kirsten asked concerned by this development that she was just now hearing about.

Sam shook his head, "Um, no . . . not technically."

"What Sam means is that Dean was just being Dean, his usual charming, overprotective and self-sacrificing self. So no, technically there wasn't a problem," Rhiannon explained, with a huff and a bitter roll of her eyes.

"If Dean wasn't Dean, we wouldn't adore him the way that we do, Sadira, and you know it."

"That is completely not the point at all."

Sandy's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "And what happened between Taylor and Dean last night . . . exactly?"

Sam and Rhiannon exchanged conspiratorial grins, before Sandy's only daughter burst into a peal of giggles. "Trust me, Dad; you really don't want to know."

Meanwhile, Taylor lay dozing happily, pressed back into a firm, sculpted chest. Slow, steady breathing ruffled the hair beside her ear, and her legs were tightly entwined with her partner's. She knew just by the feel of the slightly coarse sheets that she wasn't at home, which meant that she could only be one other place.

She had never felt happier in her life.

A full pair of warm, soft lips pressed familiarly into the hollow of her temple. "Good morning, beautiful."

She murmured happily, pulling back and rolling over to push herself deeper into his chest, burrowing her nose into his pectorals. "Hmmm . . . " she hummed, a small smile curving his lips, "good morning, Dean."

Dean's fingers were familiar in her hair as he held her close. "Are you feeling okay? Sore at all?"

Taylor's hair tickled against his skin as she shook her head, face still buried into his chest. "No. I feel . . ." there was a pause as she tried to find a word that best described how she was feeling at the moment. "I don't know how I feel, but it's amazing."

Dean chuckled, squeezing her tighter for a brief moment. "Good to hear." There was silence for a long moment while they enjoyed each other's proximity. Taylor murmured quietly, "Have you heard from either Sam or Star?"

"Yes. Sam sent a text telling me that he was still at Star's, and to meet them there whenever is good for us. I figure we've got another few hours before he even considers the idea that we're awake," he agreed, burrowing his nose into her hair and inhaling deeply. "You're sure you're feeling okay?"

Taylor chuckled lightly, obviously amused by his concern for her. "I feel amazing, Dean. Last night was the best night of my life. I'll remember every second of it for the rest of my life."

Dean rolled his eyes, laughing at her, "I'm sure there are parts you'll want to forget."

Taylor's grin was sly, as she smiled up at him innocently. "What parts?"

Growling at her, his fingers attacked her ribs. She squealed, thrashing as she sought to escape his reach and roll off the bed. One of his arms wrapped around her waist to keep her pinned against him as he continued to tick her. "Okay, okay! I give up! Uncle!" she squeaked, her legs kicking uselessly as she sought to free herself.

Almost immediately, Dean released her, watching with a chuckle as she vaulted off the bed, clutching the bedspread to her chest as she scrambled to get out of his range. He lay there unabashedly, covered only by a sheet, as he watched her watch him, her cheeks turning rosy as she examined the boy who was now her boyfriend for the first time as her boyfriend. "Like what you see?" he teased, watching her ears flame red.

"Shut up," she pouted, looking so adorable that Dean couldn't resist the urge to tease her some more.

He offered her a sly, sexy grin as he beckoned her back to bed with one hand. "There's plenty more where last night came from, if you just come back to the bed, you know. I could show you things that even the Kama Sutra hasn't heard of," he promised, using all of the charm he possessed to coax her back into bed with him.

By then, Taylor's face was so red Dean was half afraid she was going to pass out from lack of oxygen. Letting his hand fall back to the sheets, he let out a boisterous laugh. "Calm down, Tay, I'm teasing. Why don't you take the shower first, while I find us something to eat? Then we'll head over to the Cohens, okay?"

Taylor nodded cheeks still charmingly rosy as she stared at him. Wrapping his arms around his knees, he teased, "Breathe, Tay."

Gasping in a breath at the admonishment, she blushed again. On the bed, Dean threw back the sheets and prepared to get out of bed. At the sight of him in all of his glory, Taylor squeaked and turned tail toward the bathroom, the door slamming shut behind her. At her reaction, Dean bent over nearly double as he tried to keep himself from laughing. That girl was too much . . . and if she kept it up, he was going to fall completely in love with her. Getting up from the bed, he hummed a Metallica song to himself as he grabbed up a pair of jeans from the floor and slipped into them.

Grabbing his cell phone from the nightstand, he hit the first speed dial and set the phone to his ear. Sam answered on the second ring, "Yeah, Dean."

"We're up. We'll be on our way soon. How's everything going over at the house?"

"Sandy's lost his mind, Ryan's out with Anna, Seth is with Summer, and Rhiannon is sitting at the table across from me doing her homework."

"Doing her homework!? It's a weekend! And a holiday! Can't she do it tomorrow?" Dean protested, once again stunned by just how brainy his geek-boy baby brother's nerdy girlfriend really was.

Sam chuckled, neglecting to mention that he was doing his own homework as well. "Come on, Dean, you know Sadira. Do you really need to ask that question?"

"She is such a geek!" Dean muttered, before his eyes narrowed speculatively, "And I'll bet you are being just as geeky, aren't you, little brother?"

Sam laughed, "No comment. So we'll see you two soon?"

"As soon as Taylor gets out of the shower, and I can find her something to eat in this apartment," he answered, making a face as he considered the likelihood of that actually happening. He didn't get paid for another few days, and the Winchester sons had been subsiding mostly on food from the Cohens and Top Ramen. Not really top of the line cuisine.

"Don't bother. Hailey made a bunch of food and there's still a lot left. Just bring her here, and you guys can have your pick of whatever you want."

Dean nodded, "Will do. See ya soon, Sammy."

"It's Sam," came the usual retort, before there was a dialtone and Sam was gone.

Dean slapped the phone closed and moved toward the bathroom, rapping lightly on the door with his knuckles. "Hey Tay!?"

"Yeah?" she called, the sound of the water from the shower almost drowning out the sound of her voice.

"I just talked to Sam. There's a bunch of food over there, so we're going to eat at the Cohens, all right?"

"That sounds fine!"

"How much longer you gonna be?"

"I just need to rinse my hair and dry off! I'll be another fifteen minutes! Promise!"

"Okay. I'll be out in the living room when you're done."

"Kay!" she called back, her voice louder as she stepped under the stream of water once again.

Chuckling to himself, and imagining the way she looked up the streaming water, Dean moved back into his bedroom. Throwing on a t-shirt and a button-down, Dean ran his fingers back through his hair and grabbed his boots from where they lay on the floor. Striding down the hallway confidently, he checked his voicemails in case he'd missed any calls from his absent father.

He hadn't.

Sighing heavily, he dropped onto the couch and moved to put on his boots. He wasn't really sure why he was surprised. When John Winchester was on the hunt, he was pretty oblivious to the outside world. Nothing and no one made any difference to him, whatsoever . . . not even his own sons. Shaking his head to clear those thoughts, he focused his attention more firmly on his laces, muttering under his breath, "Now I'm starting to sound like Sam, whining about Dad caring more about hunting all the time than his sons. Geesh! Pull it together, Dean. Dad's doing important work by hunting those evil sons-of-bitches and saving people's lives. That's way more important that a school play or Christmas with the family." Nibbling on his lower lip, he thought about it for a moment, before setting his mouth firmly. "It has to be!"

Taylor's voice from the direction of the entrance to the living room startled him enough that he jumped. "What has to be?"

Looking up, he was surprised to see her dressed to the nines, from the designer sunglasses perched on top of her head all the way down to her expensive, navy blue Jimmy Choos. She was wearing a flattering, flowy sundress the exact color of the sky with a wide sash the same color of her shoes that accentuated how willowy she was. Pushing himself to his feet, he gaped at her. "Wow, Tay . . . you look amazing!"

The redhead blushed brightly, her head ducking down between her shoulders as she smiled shyly. "You really think so?"

Dean gave her a small, endearing smile as he reached out one hand to pull her closer to him. Pressing a sweet kiss to the tip of her nose, he nodded, "Absolutely. You'll be the Belle of the Ball."

Taylor grinned up at him, her dark eyes sparkling with happiness. "Thank you, Dean. Thank you for everything."

He dropped his forehead to rest against hers, the two just breathing each other's air for a moment. "No problem." Straightening, he adjusted his grip on her hand to lace their fingers together. "Come on. We should go, or there's not going to be anymore food left at the Cohens."

"I highly doubt that," she retorted fondly, even as she followed behind him outside to the Impala. Smiling up at him, as he opened her door for her and handed her into the seat, she settled comfortably and waited for him to join her. Not long after, they were on their way into the heart of Newport Beach.

Dean and Taylor were just sitting down at the table with Rhiannon and the leftovers from Hailey's cook-a-thon, when Sam came in carrying a bunch of grocery bags, with the Nichol sisters on his heels. "Thank you, Sam-honey," Kirsten told the boy, starting to unpack the bags.

"You're welcome, Mrs. C.," the teenager agreed, turning to see his girlfriend sitting at the table with their best friend and his older brother. "Hey Dean . . . Tay. I didn't even realize you guys were here."

Kirsten looked over at her table, smiling at the newest additions to her home. "Hello you two. Did you guys get everything you wanted for breakfast?"

Dean was already halfway through his first waffle and only nodded, but Taylor grinned up at her hostess. "Yes, thank you, Mrs. Cohen. Is there anything I can help with?"

"No, honey, you two eat. Rhiannon and Hailey can help me unpack the groceries for now. When you're done, if there's still more to do, I'd love to have your help."

Taylor nodded in agreement, turning her attention on her own breakfast. Sam sat down across the table from them to finish up his homework, while Rhiannon got up to assist her mom and aunt in putting away the food for the Seder that evening. It wasn't long before Seth came in and took a seat in a barstool, ostensibly to "supervise" the production, followed shortly by Ryan and Anna. Ryan sat down next to his foster brother, while Anna started to help the other girls. Kirsten counted heads and then rounded on her older son. "And where is Summer?"

"I really don't think that Summer is ready for the scariness that is The Nana. So I didn't _actually_ invite her for Passover."

Ryan glared at his foster brother, while Rhiannon protested aloud, "Seth! How could you!? You gave Ryan such a hard time about not inviting Anna, and you didn't even invite Summer!? For shame on you!"

"The Nana is scary! Summer thinks she's cute! The Nana will rip her to little shreds and leave her out to dry, and that is the last thing I want to happen to the beautiful, lovely, amazing, and wondrous woman that is my beloved Summer."

The Atwood Twins were unmoved by his speech, continuing to glare at him. Sam snorted into his orange juice, though Taylor couldn't resist a tiny giggle as Seth squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. He was saved only by the entrance of Sandy, inquiring, "Who wants to come with me to the airport?" There was an obvious pause as every person in the kitchen moved quickly to find something else to do. "Come on, guys. Seth?"

Seth looked up at his name, before ducking his head and placing his hand in front of his face, pointing at Ryan discretely. Sandy immediately directed his attention on his foster son. "Ryan? Come on." Ryan turned his attention away, before pointing over his shoulder at his twin sister. Rhiannon squeaked when she noticed, hissing at him, "Traitor!"

"Come on, guys. Anybody?" Sandy asked, looking so hopeful that his disappointment when no one volunteered was obvious. Sighing heavily, he surmised, "You're not ready for The Nana, are you? Well, it's okay; nobody's ever ready for The Nana. That woman is scary."

Just then a cry of, "Hello?" in a broad Bronx accent prompted a look of horror on Sandy's face.

Turning horror-struck eyes on his wife, Sandy breathed, "It couldn't be."

"The front door's wide open. Someone could walk right in here, take everything and kill us all," the voice continued from the direction of the foyer.

Seth looked distressed as he nodded, "It is. It's The Nana."

Rounding on his heel, Sandy dashed for where his mother stood on the foyer. "What are you doing here? I was just coming to get you."

"Oh, you would have been terribly late." Seeing the distress on her son's face, Sophie Cohen smiled, "I'm kidding. The plane was early, and I took a taxi to surprise you. Are you surprised? You look surprised," she promised hugging her son tightly.

"I'm surprised," Sandy agreed faintly, obviously still reeling from her teasing.

Ryan turned to look at his twin sister, as the rest of their foster family headed into the foyer to see The Nana. "How you doing, Stardust?"

Rhiannon was nibbling on her lower lip, a furrow between her eyes as she contemplated the now empty kitchen. "I'm okay . . . I think. But she's going to hate me."

Smiling at his sister, Ryan shook his head. "No one could hate you."

Sam stroked a finger down her cheek, smiling at her gently. "You'll be fine, Sadira. I know she'll love you."

Taylor grinned at her best friend, getting up from her seat and grabbing her best friend's hand. "Come on Star . . . no use putting it off any longer."

Anna took Ryan's hand and followed him, as Rhiannon deliberately put herself behind Sam and Taylor, with Dean trailing beside Taylor. The six of them entered the family room, just as Sophie Cohen was releasing her grandson. "And you must be Ryan and Rhiannon. I've heard so much about you both. Welcome to the family!"

Frightened by the overly-cheerful look on Sophie's face, Rhiannon back-stepped into her boyfriend's arms, muttering over and over again, "I can't do this. Please don't make me do this."

His heart breaking for her, Sam nevertheless said nothing, watching as Sophie threw her arms around Ryan and squeezed him. Feeling her shivering against him, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, holding her close to him, while Taylor and Dean stepped to stand next to the two of them to offer their youngest their support.

Meanwhile, Sophie was releasing Ryan and turning her attention to Anna as Ryan introduced the two women to one another. Anna gave Sophie Cohen a wide smile and shook Sophie's hand, with a quiet, "Hello, Mrs. Cohen. It's nice to meet you."

Then The Nana turned on Rhiannon. The youngest Atwood Twin just watched her with wide eyes, unwilling to leave Sam's arms. "Hi," was her only greeting, hands wrapped around Sam's forearms in a white-knuckle grip.

Sophie narrowed her eyes at her, the two women trying to size each other up. The longer they stared at each other, the easier it was to see the crack in Sophie's cheerful demeanor start to grow. Finally, Ryan stepped forward and spoke up. "You'll have to forgive my sister. She doesn't do well with meeting new people."

"The least she could do is give her grandmother, who is so excited to meet her, a hug," Sophie protested, glancing back at her son.

Taylor shook her head. "Star doesn't hug people she doesn't know. It took her awhile before she even hugged any of the Cohens. And Star _**adores**_ the Cohens."

"I don't think I know you, honey."

Taylor grinned, showing herself for the eccentric, charming and bouncy young teenager that all of the Cohens knew her as. Dean chuckled to see her bouncing on the balls of her feet, as she extended one hand to Sophie Cohen. "Hello, Mrs. Cohen, my name is Taylor Townsend. Star's my very best friend." Gesturing toward the elder Winchester, she continued the introductions, "This is my boyfriend, Dean Winchester, and his younger brother, Sam."

Sam gave the older Cohen woman a shy smile, refusing to release his girlfriend for as long as she was holding onto him like she was. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Cohen."

"And how do you know Rhiannon?" Sophie demanded of the teenager.

Sam squeezed Rhiannon tightly. "I'm Sadira's boyfriend. We've been dating since July of last year."

"And do you have such low respect for _Sadira_ that you show up to meet her grandmother for the first time in such shoddy attire?" Sophie demanded, scowling in the direction of Sam's tattered, secondhand jeans and battered, holey button-down.

Kirsten gasped, appalled, "Sophie that is none of your affair."

Smiling sadly at his girlfriend's mother, Sam shook his head. "It's okay, Mrs. C." Turning his attention back to The Nana, he continued, "My family doesn't have a lot of money. We make do with what we have. And I have utter respect for Sadira. She is an amazing woman, and much better than I deserve. No matter what else happens, I am going to love her for as long as she'll keep me around. And, with all due respect Mrs. Cohen, I don't need nor want your approval."

The Nana glared at the tall teenager, before moving on to Hailey Nichol. "And who are you, dear?"

While Hailey was distracting The Nana, Kirsten stepped forward to touch Taylor's shoulder. "I am so sorry about that, Sam. If you want, Sam, there's a new pair of jeans for you in a box in Star's bedroom."

Sam shook his head. "As long as Star approves of what I look like, I don't need any approval from anyone else."

Kirsten smiled at him, before turning her attention to her daughter who looked like she was on the edge of a panic attack. Remembering this behavior from when Rhiannon had met Sam's father, John, she smiled sadly. Cupping her daughter's face in her hands, he pressed a fond kiss to her forehead. "You're all right, Stardust. Why don't you guys go out back and hang out by the pool, okay?"

Rhiannon nodded, smiling over at her twin as he teased her, "Last one into the pool is a rotten egg!"

Dean grinned, "Sounds like a plan to me. Gotta love my girl in a bikini."

Bolstered by what she was familiar with, Rhiannon let out a small giggle at Dean's teasing while Taylor let out a squeak and smacked him in the shoulder. Relieved to hear it, Sam chuckled and then slung her up over his shoulder, her tiny feet kicking in the air as she squealed with laughter. "Sam!" she giggled, her hands clenched in the material of his shirts. "Put me down this instant, Gigantor!"

"Make me, Pipsqueak," he argued fondly, before the teenagers separated their own ways so they could get ready to go hang out by the pool.

Sam had just tossed Rhiannon into the pool to the sound of her delighted squeal, when Ryan and Anna came out into the backyard from the pool house arguing. Anna crossed her arms over her chest stubbornly as she glared at Ryan. "If you're going after her, you're not leaving me here."

Rhiannon came up from under the water, laughing until she caught sight of her twin. "Ryan? Why aren't you wearing your trunks?"

Ryan smiled at his sister and crouched by the edge of the pool. "I can't go swimming with you guys, Stardust."

"Why not?" she demanded, her lower lip puffing out into the pout she usually used to get her brother to do her bidding.

Ryan smirked and dipped his hand into the water to splash her, resulting in a squeal and a giggle. "I just got a call from Julie Cooper."

Rhiannon cocked her head. "Why would Julie Cooper call you? That doesn't make sense."

Anna broke in then, hurt in her voice as she explained, "Apparently, Marissa's run away from home and she's refusing to come back, unless Ryan's the one to come down to Chino and bring her back."

"Ryan . . ." Rhiannon murmured, eyes frightened as she looked up at him.

Rhiannon liked Anna, and more importantly, she liked that Anna was _with_ Ryan. The two were good together; Anna made him laugh and smile, and Ryan seemed to genuinely like her. There had been a nerve-wracking couple of weeks when Ryan was hanging out with his ex-girlfriend, Theresa, who had crash-landed into Newport Beach like a heat-seeking missile, but that had ended weeks ago. Theresa had gotten back together with her boyfriend, Eddie, and accepted his proposal, while Ryan had finally admitted how he felt about Anna and the two had started "hanging out." Neither of the Atwood Twins, or anyone in their circle of friends, had heard heads or tails of Marissa since the Oliver debacle.

And Rhiannon wasn't really thrilled by the thought that they may have to deal with her being around again.

Ryan smiled at his sister, seeing the thoughts running around in her head easily. "It's not a big deal. Apparently, she's at Theresa's house in Chino. So, I'm gonna go down to Chino, pick her up, take her back to her mother's and we'll never have to see her again."

Rhiannon's eyebrows furrowed, but Sam was the one to voice her thought. "Why would Marissa go to Chino?"

Taylor scoffed and continued, "Better question, why would Marissa go to see _your ex-girlfriend _in Chino? "

"I have no idea. I don't care. I just gotta go get Marissa, so that I can be rid of her."

Anna broke in then, still protesting this plan, "And I'm not letting you go to Chino alone to go get her. If you're going to Chino, you're taking me with you. Marissa is a manipulative, scheming and deceitful bitch. Furthermore, she's not above cheating to get what she wants. She's been spreading all around school that she's going to get you back, Ryan; alone with you during a three hour car trip is the perfect way to do it."

Crossing her arms on the edge of the pool, the blond rested her chin on the juncture of her wrists. "Anna's got a point. It's probably not a good idea to go alone."

Ryan smiled at his twin, tousling her hair fondly. "Will it make you worry less if I take Anna along?"

Rhiannon nibbled on her lower lip as she nodded, Prussian blue eyes staring up at her older brother pleadingly. "Please?"

"All right. Anna and I will go retrieve Marissa from Chino. We'll be back before you know it, okay?"

"Promise not to start a fight with Eddie, and that you'll come back without any bruises, scrapes or abrasions?"

"I'll try. I _will_ promise that if Eddie wants to hit me, I won't fight back."

Rhiannon contemplated this promise, before nodding. Considering how much Eddie hated Ryan at the moment that was probably as good as she was going to get. Bracing himself on his hands, Ryan bent over his sister and kissed her forehead. "Hang out here, have fun, and we'll be back soon."

Rhiannon nodded, letting her eyes slip closed as she enjoyed the fact that her twin brother was actually _acting_ like her twin brother again. Yet another reason to like the fact that Anna and Ryan were together. "Okay. Be careful. I'm pretty sure Chino is not as friendly as either of us remember."

Ryan smirked with a small nod, before taking Anna's hand and leading the way toward the house. It wasn't long before the sound of the engine roaring was heard from the backyard. Sam watched his girlfriend nibble on her lower lip as she worked herself into a full-blown worry, before glancing at his best friend. Taylor gave him a smirk, before the two launched at her, dragging her under the water with them. Rhiannon came out of the water sputtering, only to get a face full of water as Dean sent a wave of water splashing into her face. As they'd hoped it would, the action completely distracted their youngest as she vowed, "Oh, it's on!"

Dean laughed, arms crossed over his chest, teasing, "Bring it on, Geek-girl. Give us the best you've got."

The four of them spent hours horsing around in the pool, barely noticing when Summer arrived at the house, or when Seth led his girlfriend out to the pool house to wait for Ryan and Anna to get back. It wasn't until Kirsten came out onto the back patio calling for her daughter, that the four called a halt to their fun. Rhiannon turned to face her mother even as she laughed, "Yeah Mom?"

"Do you know where your brothers went?"

"Seth's in the pool house with Summer, and Ryan had to go down to Chino for a little while with Anna."

Kirsten frowned, musing, "Ryan took Anna to Chino? What on earth for?"

Not wanting to get her brother into trouble, Rhiannon shrugged vaguely. "He promised they'd be back before the Seder."

Wrapping his arms around his girlfriend, Sam looked up at a frazzled looking Kirsten. "Is something wrong, Mrs. C?"

Smiling at the persistent form of address, Kirsten shook her head. "Not really. It's just getting close to dinner time, and I haven't seen either of my sons in hours."

Taylor spoke up then, "Do we need to start getting ready for the Seder, Kirsten?"

"If you want to have dry hair, it's probably not a bad idea," Kirsten replied with a small laugh as Dean managed to trap his girlfriend in his arms and drop the both of them back under the water. "Dean Matthew Winchester, you behave yourself."

Dean gave her a rakish smile, "I am an angel."

Sam snorted, muttering into his girlfriend's hair, "Yeah, an angel of death."

Dean glared at his little brother, causing the two girls to giggle into their hands. Looking back up at her foster mother, Rhiannon nodded. "We'll start getting ready, Mom. Do you want me to call Ryan?"

"If you wouldn't mind. I'd like to know about when he thinks they're going to be home. Thank you, Stardust. Boys, you two can get dressed in the guest room downstairs. It's gotta a full en suite and everything you might need. Sam . . . Dean, I took the liberty of hanging your suits on the back of the door."

Dean made a face at the prospect of spending the night in a constricting shirt and tie, causing laughter from his brother and both of their girls. Looking up at Kirsten, Sam grinned wide, "Thanks, Mrs. C."

"You're very welcome, Sam-honey. Dinner's in about two hours, so chop-chop. Taylor, I'm sure you won't mind sharing Rhiannon's room?"

"Nope," the redhead chirped with a grin and a bounce.

Smiling at the four of them for a second more, Kirsten returned to her own bedroom to finish getting ready. Sandy was still reeling from his mother's earlier announcement, and she was determined to stay as close to him as she could for as long as she could. God knew that she and Sophie Cohen had never really gotten along, but Sandy and their family meant the world to her. If there was anything she could do to help ease the blow, she wanted to be there to do it.

About an hour later found Rhiannon and her friends hanging out in the pool house with Seth and Summer. Ryan had called his sister to tell her that they were about ten minutes away from dropping off Marissa at her mother's. From the hints he'd given her using the code they'd created as children, he was grateful Anna had gone with him. Marissa had indeed had ulterior motives for trying to get him to come alone and only Anna's presence had prevented Marissa from doing something that Ryan would regret.

Rhiannon and Taylor were listening intently to Summer reciting the passage she'd been given to recite at the Seder, as Seth read a comic book and the Winchesters talked about a phone call Dean had gotten from their dad. "For on all other nights, we do not dip our food into salt water. But tonight we dip karpas into salt water and maror into charoses."

Seth was staring at his girlfriend in surprise, before setting aside his book and sitting up. "Did you just do that all by heart?"

"Mhm," she agreed with a nod, before looking at him concerned, "Was it okay?"

"It was perfect!" Seth cheered, leaning over to kiss her. Leaning back, he touched his lower lip with his fingers and frowned. "You know what, you can use the book, though. Didn't I tell you that?"

"No!" Summer scolded, slapping his shoulder hard. "Cohen!"

Rhiannon and Taylor laughed, watching as Seth dodged his girlfriend's slaps while still managing to collar her and haul her close to him. Just then, Ryan and Anna came into the pool house. "Hey guys, sorry we're late."

"Ryan!" Rhiannon squealed, getting up to hug her brother tightly.

Ryan squeezed her fondly as he lifted her up off her feet, before setting her back down. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah. Everything's good," Anna promise, looking up at Ryan adoringly as they linked their hands together.

"What happened with Marissa?"

"Oh, I don't think we'll be seeing too much of Marissa for awhile," Ryan laughed, glancing at Anna as she ducked her head to hide her blush.

"How'd you manage that one?"

"Anna smacked the hell out of her."

"Nice one, Stern!" Summer laughed, applauding the other girl.

Everyone laughed as Anna's blushed spread, when Seth teased, "Guess she's been hanging out with Ryan too much."

Sandy popped his head into the pool house just then. "Hey, is everyone ready to eat?"

There was a chorus of voices in the affirmative causing a laugh from Sandy as he joked, "Too bad, cause the Seder's about to begin. Come on."

Rhiannon laughed as Taylor, Summer and Anna laughed and led the way toward the kitchen, with Seth and the Winchesters right behind them. Ryan smiled at his sister, offering her his elbow. Rhiannon giggled happily, linking her hand in his elbow as they walked past Sandy and followed their friends. Sandy clapped his hand to Ryan's shoulder as they passed and asked, "So how was everything at home?"

Ryan chuckled as he squeezed his sister's hand, "You tell me. I was in Chino."

Relieved by the answer, Rhiannon squealed happily and threw her arms around his waist. Ryan laughed at her response and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, as the twins trekked the distance between the pool house and the kitchen. Sandy was only a step behind them, but Rhiannon knew that he was just as pleased by Ryan's answer as she had been.

Inside, Sam remaining standing behind two empty chairs, obviously waiting for the twins to appear. Dean and Taylor sat side by side, with Dean next to Sandy and Taylor next to what was presumably Rhiannon's chair. Anna was seated between Summer and an empty seat, with Seth on the opposite side of Summer. The Nana sat to the left of her son at the head of the table, next to Seth, with Kirsten at her place at the foot.

Sam smiled at his girlfriend, relieved to see the Atwood Twins looking once again like a united pair. "My lady Sadira, if I may?" he asked, giving his girlfriend a shallow bow as he offered her his hand.

Ryan kissed his sister's temple, before handing her over to her boyfriend. The Nana wasn't the only one who was watching intently as Sam assisted her into her chair and pushed it in for her. Rhiannon giggled happily, grinning up at her boyfriend over her shoulder as he bent to give her a sweet kiss before taking his own seat while Ryan took his seat between Anna and Kirsten. Looking around, Rhiannon noticed a conspicuous absence. "Where's Aunt Hailey?"

Kirsten smiled as she shook her head fondly. "Hailey had a date. She's okay, but Passover's not really her thing. She said that this was for our family, and she didn't want to intrude."

Rhiannon's eyebrows furrowed as she remarked absently, "But she _is_ family."

Kirsten touched her daughter's cheek. "I know, but this is the way she wanted it."

Nodding, Rhiannon settled back in her seat and turned her attention to her foster father. Sandy took his seat and smiled to see the entire family seated together at one table. "So, are we ready to begin?"

At nods from the rest of the table, he reached for the book on his plate and opened to the first page. "All right then, let's begin." Taking a deep breath, he began to read. "Tonight we celebrate the first night of Passover. A celebration of rebirth, new beginnings, and of freedom. Freedom from the constraints that have bound us. And freedom to join together to take responsibility for ourselves, and for our families, for our community, and for the world."

Ryan spoke up then, "Do we eat now?"

Seth snorted as he shook his head. "Oh . . . no . . . Ryan . . . we've got like six more hours."

Dean looked pained at this knowledge. "Six more hours?"

"Yeah, so uh, strap in. It's gonna be awhile."

Sandy chuckled, before reaching for his wine glass.

It was one of the best holidays the Cohen family had ever had. And eventually, to Dean's delight, they did actually get to eat.


	14. An Indecent Proposal

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it.

AN: In celebration of my good summer semester (passed every class with a B or better, thank you very much) I am uploading a chapter for you all. Enjoy! I'll try to have the next chapter up soon.

Chapter 14

The Nana left for the Bronx the very next morning, the support of her family at her back as she headed off to face her illness. From the window in Rhiannon's room, Sam watched her go. His eyes were serious and thoughtful as they followed the Range Rover away. Behind him, his starchild continued to sleep, undisturbed by anything outside her dreams.

Sam didn't know how long he stood at the window, watching the world awaken and face the new day. He didn't turn from the window until he heard the covers rustle behind him. Looking back over his shoulder, he smiled to see Rhiannon push herself into a sitting position. She was knuckling the sleep her eyes even as she yawned, "Sam?"

"Morning, Sadira," he greeted, coming to sit on the edge of her bed and kiss her sweetly.

Rhiannon smiled at him sleepily, one finger tracing tenderly under his eye. "So serious," she teased. "Penny for your thoughts?"

Sam smiled as he nuzzled her cheek. "I'm just worried about you, is all."

"I know I freaked out a little but I'm okay, Sam; honest."

"I'm not talking about now. I'm worried about whether or not you're gonna be okay once I'm gone for the summer."

Rhiannon's eyes were grave as she took his hand. "I'm gonna be okay, Sam. I am gonna miss you and Taylor like hell. But I'm gonna be okay. I'll have my brothers and my parents, Anna and Summer. Summer's dating Seth and Anna's pretty fond of my twin brother. I'll be okay this summer, I promise."

"But it's a whole summer!" he protested, obviously not convinced.

"And once the summer's over, you'll be back. It's only a summer. No matter what happens during that summer, you'll still be back and I'll still be here waiting for you. And Taylor'll come back from Paris, and Dean will swoop in and reclaim her heart as his once again, and everything'll be okay. Honest."

Sam chuckled, dropping his forehead to rest against hers. "And everything just works out in your own little world, doesn't it?"

Rhiannon giggled with a shy wink. "Always. I may be tiny, but I is fierce. Rawr!" she growled, fingers curled into kittenish claws as she swiped at him adorably.

At her imitation of a ferocious little kitten, Sam burst into laughter. "Yes you are," he chuckled, leaning over to press a sweet kiss to her lips. At her imitation of a ferocious little kitten, Sam burst into laughter. "Yes you are," he chuckled, leaning over to press a sweet kiss to her lips. Leaning back, he looked deeply into her eyes and was relieved by what he found there. She was terrified of being left behind, but she refused to make his leaving any harder for him than it already was. He was so proud of her, his heart swelled up into his throat making it hard for him to speak. Cupping her cheek in his palm, he leaned into her, eyes closed and noses aligned as they simply breathed each other's air for a moment. "_Dei, te amo_," he murmured in Latin, nuzzling against her skin fondly.

"_Te amo_, Sam . . . _te amo_," she replied against his cheek, her face tilting into his touch as she savored every moment she could steal. Hauling her boyfriend back onto the bed with her, she cuddled close to him and yawned. Sam's fingers were tender and familiar in the blond strands as the two teenagers drifted quietly to sleep together.

The next weeks passed quietly, the whisper of an ever flowing river. The Geek Squad continued through the motions of their usual routine, trying to keep their heads above water as all around them things began to spiral out of control. Ryan and Anna continued to build their relationship, with Ryan being more honest with her than he'd been with anyone other than his own sister. And while Seth and Summer were as cute as anything, Sam and Rhiannon were indisputably the most adored couple in Newport Beach.

Still, not everything was perfect. Rhiannon was devastated when Caleb Nichol – Kirsten's father – and Julie Cooper – Marissa's mother – began to date. Triumphant and vindictive, Marissa spent a lot of time at the Cohen house. Sam, unfortunately, was not always around to rescue her and there were several times that she ran to her room, in a torrent of tears brought on by Marissa's cruel words. The first time Taylor walked in on one of these instances, the pretty red head turned almost as red as her hair and then proceeded to let the tall blond have it. There were threats from Taylor's mouth that Rhiannon hadn't even heard _Dean _use; and Dean was renown for coming up with suitable threats toward one of Taylor's high school tormentors.

After that, Marissa wasn't around much anymore.

Still, she was going to be there the night that Sandy's restaurant, The Lighthouse, opened. And as if that wasn't bad enough, so was Caleb Nichol. While Marissa's malice was hurtful, Marissa Cooper had absolutely nothing on Caleb Nichol. Caleb had had it out for the Atwood Twins since Ryan had accidentally burnt down one of the Newport Group's model homes. Even still, that had been mostly Marissa's fault anyway. Rhiannon had managed to charm all of his investors into providing the financial backing for The Lighthouse – a venture that would be making not only her dad but also Mr. Cooper and Mr. Nichol a lot of money – but he still hated her guts and made no secret of it.

Fortunately for her, the Quartet would be at full strength on opening night. Unfortunately for her, the Quartet would be at full strength on opening night. What was she going to do? If Caleb said even one word about her, Dean was going to blow a gasket . . . and that's not even including what Sam would do if he got riled enough to lose his legendary Winchester cool.

She tried not to let her dread show. She forced a bright smile to her lips, used glitter on her eyelids to lend the illusion of sparkles in her eyes, and generally tried to con everyone into believing that she was fine. Neither her mom or her dad seemed to notice, wrapped up in their own problems, and Seth was too absorbed in Summer to really pay attention, but neither Sam, Taylor nor Ryan were fooled. Dean knew something was wrong with her, because Sam was upset, but the details were just as sketchy to him as they were to everyone else.

Finally, it was opening night and Rhiannon was convinced that she was in hell.

She stood in front of her full length mirror, trying to build her confidence by convincing herself that she was beautiful, but all she saw in the mirror was a fake. She loved her parents, and she adored Seth, but right then she wished she was back in Chino. At least in Chino, she knew the rules. She knew what was expected of her; absolutely nothing. Here in Newport Beach, she was still trying to learn the rules; and as soon as she thought she had them all, new ones came up. Dropping to knees, she put her face into her hands and quietly began to cry. "I can't do this," she sobbed quietly, trying not to be heard, as she folded in half and dropped her forehead to the floor.

Meanwhile, Ryan was debating whether or not to go up and see his sister. Rhiannon had been acting strangely for awhile now, and he was worried about her. She'd been trying too hard to behave normally, but Ryan knew his sister better than anyone. Something had frightened her, and now it was his job as her older brother to either fix it or kick its ass. Decision made, he kissed Anna's cheek, "I'm worried about Stardust. I'm gonna go check on her. I'll be right back."

Anna gifted him with a bright smile. "Sure. I'll just wait for everyone else to get here. Are we all going together?"

"I'm sure the Winchesters will be taking Stardust and Taylor, but we're going with Seth and Sum, that I do know," Ryan agreed.

"All right. We'll wait for you here."

"Hey, when Sam gets here, could you send him up to Rhiannon's room? I have a feeling she's going to need him."

Anna nodded once more, before watching her almost-boyfriend jog up the stairs. Ryan moved easily down the hallway toward his sister's room on the other side of Seth's. He barely even paused as a decidedly tousled Seth and Summer left his brother's room, simply side-stepping the kissing pair and continuing on his way. Knocking lightly on his sister's door, he called lightly, "Stardust? It's Ryan; can I come in?"

There was a soft sob and a trembling voice called out, "I'm coming! I just need a second!"

In that instant, Ryan knew that something was wrong. Testing the doorknob, he was relieved when it turned easily in his hand. Pushing the door open a shade, he slipped through the crack before pushing it closed once again. Looking up, he sighed at the sight of Rhiannon, kneeling in front of her mirror and hugging herself as she watched his reflection. The tears on her cheeks were diamond bright and protective instincts as old as time surged up through him. Before he knew it, he was kneeling at her side with his sister wrapped up tightly in his arms. "Star . . . sis, what's wrong?"

"I'm scared, Ryan. I can't do this. I'm not good enough for these people. I should be in Chino where I belong."

Ryan's hands were fierce and tight around her upper arms as he grabbed her and pushed her back a bit. His eyes blazed in his face as his cobalt eyes ensnared her own. "You listen to me, Rhiannon Melinda Atwood; you were _made _for this place! You are better suited to this place than anyone who calls it home. You handle all of this – the money, the parties, the gossip, and the sheer ludicrousness of this whole town – with poise, and grace, and honesty. You have people here who would do anything to see you happy. I _never_ want to hear you say that you're not good enough for Newport Beach . . . because as far as I'm concerned, Newport Beach was nothing until the bright star that is you can blazing through their sky. All right?"

Rhiannon sniffed back her tears, looking up her brother with wide, luminous eyes. "You think so?"

"I don't think so, Stardust, I know so. Okay? So wipe your eyes, clean your face, fix your make-up," he ordered, glancing at her bare feet with a sigh, "put on some shoes, and come downstairs. The party's about to begin, and Sandy needs all the support he can get. Okay?"

She gave him the bravest smile she could manage, before Ryan pushed himself to his feet. Reaching down for her, he took her offered hand and helped her to her feet. "You're going to shine tonight, Rhiannon. I promise. Don't let what anyone else says get you down, okay? Promise me?"

She nodded once firmly, "I promise."

"All right then, I'll let you get cleaned up and then I'll see you downstairs." Leaning forward, he cupped the back of her head in his palm and pressed a loving kiss to her forehead. "I love you, baby sister. Womb to tomb."

"Birth to earth," she replied brightly, a real smile on her lips for the first time in days. "I love you too, big brother. I'll meet you downstairs."

Ryan smirked at her and then left her room, meeting Sam on the way down as the older boy was on the way up. Sam reached out to take the older twin's arm lightly. "Is she okay?"

Glancing back over his shoulder, Ryan smiled wide and looked back at the 16 year old. "Yeah, she's okay. Let's give her another minute. She'll be right down, I promise."

Sam looked uncertain about that, but nevertheless followed Ryan down the stairs to wait for Rhiannon. Ryan crossed immediately to his spot on the couch next to Anna and wrapped an arm around her shoulder as he pulled her into him. It seemed like only a moment later, before Rhiannon appeared at the landing. Ryan grinned as Sam simply gaped at her, as much in awe of her then as he had been the very first time they'd met all those months ago. Sam moved to the bottom of the stairs just as Rhiannon reached the second to last step, fitting his hands beneath her arms and spinning her up and around. Rhiannon giggled as the tall young man let her feet dangle for a moment as he held her close to him, their mouths moving together with the effortlessness of long practice. "You're beautiful," he whispered to her, nuzzling tenderly into her cheek.

Rhiannon sighed happily, her arms tight around his neck as she leaned into his affection. "Thank you; you're not so bad yourself, Good Lookin'."

Setting her down, Sam cupped her shoulders as he examined her carefully. "You ready for this?"

Glancing back over her shoulder, she and her twin exchanged a brief smile, before she looked back up at her boyfriend and nodded. "Yes . . . I'm ready. Let's do this."

The party at The Lighthouse was in full swing when the Impala and the Range Rover pulled up to the front door. Glaring at the valet who came to take his keys, Dean growled, "If there's one scratch in her, I'll break your spine into three different pieces. Understand?"

The valet looked almost nonchalant as he took the keys, obviously unaffected by Dean's threat. "Sir, your car will be in the exact same condition when you pick it up as it is now. You have my word," the man vowed, obviously used to both rare and expensive cars . . . and their overprotective owners.

Dean glared, before Taylor looped her arm into his elbow and towed him along after her. "Dean . . . stop glaring and leave the poor man alone. Your baby will be fine, I'm sure."

Dean let the tiny redhead pull him away, though he glanced back over his shoulder one last time before the four of them disappeared inside the restaurant. Everywhere the four looked, there was some high roller or big shot, sampling the food and enjoying the comfortable atmosphere. Both Sandy and Jimmy Cooper had pulled out all the stops, and the restaurant looked nothing less than fantastic.

Her boyfriend at her back, Rhiannon hugged his arms tightly to her, giggling brightly as she beamed up at him. Sam's grin was smaller but no less enthusiastic as he watched her come out of her shell. She was most definitely Kirsten Cohen's daughter, and she was going to make a hell of a Winchester one day . . . he was planning on it.

In his humble and utterly biased opinion, she was quite easily the prettiest girl in the entire place. Her dark blue and white polka dot sundress with its teal blue petticoat and wide white ribbon belt was something straight out of the 1950's and set off her platinum hair and Prussian eyes to perfection. The halter left her shoulders delicately bare and her white high-heeled peep-toed pumps made her legs seem deliciously long. Catching movement out of the corner of his eye, he glanced over to see several couples on a hardwood dance floor. Feeling the need to show her off for a minute, he bowed shallowly and offered her hand. "May I have this dance?"

She grinned with a nod, placing her hand in his hand and letting him lead her toward the dance floor. Chuck Berry's "Roll Over, Beethoven" was playing through the speakers, causing a bright giggle from his beloved Sadira, who loved 50's music more than Dean loved Led Zeppelin. Once there, he pulled her close, one of her hands in his and her other hand as high on his arm as she could reach. Winking at her playfully, he spun her out away from him before dropping her back into a low dip, her body nearly parallel to the floor. She laughed brightly, her head falling back as she lost herself in him and the music.

Dean held Taylor to him, her arms resting on top of where his folded around her waist. They watched the two as they danced out on the floor, just enjoying themselves for as long as they could. Kirsten and Hailey came to join them, smiling at the golden couple as Rhiannon squealed in delight when Sam lifted her up into his arms and swung her around in a wide arc. "She looks so happy," Kirsten sighed happily, relieved to see her daughter free and unfettered by her fears.

Not even an hour later, Rhiannon watched in horror from the circle of Sam's arms as Caleb got down on one knee and asked Julie Cooper to marry him. It didn't take longer than a second for Julie to say yes, and make Marissa a part of her family forever. Dean's reaction, quiet and a single word, said it best.

"Fuck."

Taylor's laughter was dark and amused as she agreed, "You said it baby. Star, let's go find your mom. She's probably having a coronary."

Rhiannon moaned, "Oh God . . . Mom."

Taking each other's hands, the two girls moved quickly through the crowd that was gathering around the newly engaged couple towards the last place they'd seen either of Rhiannon's parents. Kirsten was downing champagne like it was water, and obviously wishing for something stronger. The two girls stopped next to her as she dumped the last of the alcohol into her flute, leaving Sandy staring at his empty glass with a sigh. "That's cool . . . that's cool. I didn't want any anway."

"My dad is marrying Julie Cooper. Julie Cooper . . . is my stepmom," Kirsten told her husband, causing a cringe from her only daughter.

Sandy grimaced, "Maybe we'll get you another bottle."

Kirsten's best friend and Sandy's business partner, Jimmy Cooper, waved at her lightly, "Yeah, drink up."

"This is an unholy alliance. This is two storm fronts colliding. This is the apocalypse for us all!" Kirsten informed her husband, reaching out to pet her daughter's head fondly, if a little absently. "I mean think of it, Jimmy. All the time that we were growing up, all the times that you came over for dinner, went sailing with my dad . . . did you ever think that he'd be marrying your ex-wife?"

At this announcement, Jimmy grimaced and turned around to grab a beer. "Yeah . . . I can see the need for alcohol."

Sandy smiled at his wife indulgently, "Maybe you should lay off the sauce. And I don't know Jimbo, this may be the best thing that ever happened to you."

Kirsten snorted derisively, "There is nothing good about what happened here! This marriage is an asteroid that has hit the Earth. Now we just have to wait and see what species survives."

Sandy looked to his daughter for reinforcements, only to find Rhiannon firmly on her mother's side. "Dad, this is a disaster. I ruined Marissa's life, whether intentionally or not, and now she's my _aunt_! This is the worst thing that's ever happened to me!" the blond wailed, diving into her mother's arms as the older woman reached out to pull her close.

Kirsten held her daughter close, pressing a tender kiss to her topknot. "No matter what happens, honey, I'm not going to let anyone hurt you. If Marissa's going to make trouble for you, she will no longer be welcome in my home. And I'll make sure that my dad and Julie know that. I promise. You and Ryan are my children, and I refuse to allow her to cause either of you any trouble."

Rhiannon gave her mother a small smile, relieved that she was on her side. "Thanks Mom."

"No problem, honey. Why don't you find your friends and your brothers, and you all get out of here? Go out and have some fun, and leave the adults to stress out over the end of the world, okay? I think I saw Anna and Ryan over by the patio about ten minutes ago. They probably went out onto the porch; save them before they find out what's happened, huh?"

Rhiannon grinned at her mother. "Deal. Love you Mom."

"Love you too, honey. Tell your brother to look after you both and I'll see you later tonight. Curfew's at two. You do have school in the morning."

"Yes, ma'am. Come on Tay. Let's go find Ryan and the boys," Rhiannon insisted, kissing her mother's cheek fondly before Taylor took her hand and the two went off into the crowd again.

They found Sam and Dean by the doors, the two having already rounded up Ryan and Anna. "Summer and Seth left about an hour ago," Ryan told his sister when she turned to look for her oldest brother. "Let's blow this popsicle stand, huh?"

Rhiannon cuddled against Sam and nodded, "Absolutely."

The group of teenagers didn't even notice the pair of eyes that watched them go, focused only on getting the hell out of Dodge and pretending that that night had never happened.


End file.
